Revelations
by AngelaRaex
Summary: This story picks up at the end of Ep 1:22 "Destiny". What would have happened if Max had chosen Liz without question? This is how I thought the show *should* have gone. Rated M for safety. Canon pairings: M/L, M/M, I/A even some K/T.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Revelations

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M) (AR)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

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><p><strong>AN: I first started this story back in 2000 at the end of Season One. For some pretty heavy personal reasons, I had to stop writing before I finished the fic. Flash-forward to over a decade later and I was going through bins in my closet this afternoon and came across this old, faded message board hardcopy. I started to read and it was a total blast from the past. **

**Now, I just want to see if I can finish what I started back when I was 20. Mostly this is for me, but like any fanfic author, I'm a total review junkie (so R&R plz)! ****Plus I hated the direction the show took after the first season and want to see if I can write what I think should have happened! **

**So, I guess that makes this fic A/R, since it's like throwing a stone in the pond - it's just a little decision that's different, but as the story progresses, the ripple effect gets wider and wider until it changes the way all the events occur. Anyway, this might get hot and heavy, so I'm rating Mature for safety reasons, plus some of the original content was steamy anyway, so… Well, anyway, this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22. Hope you Enjoy!**

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><p>"Liz."<p>

His throat felt raw, though he had barely whispered her name. Max Evans had never known hurt like this before. Agony coursed through his veins as he watched her run down the hill. Away from him.

He vaguely felt someone restrain him as he heard Michael's voice from a distance. "You gotta let her go."

She had said she couldn't stand in the way of destiny. He couldn't understand how she failed to realize she was all to him. The best half of his whole.

As the pain numbed his system, he heard Tess ask, "What happens now, Max?"

For a few precious moments he just stood, concentrating on each breath, as his chest rose and fell. Then without conscious decision he turned and walked back up the incline.

Exchanging anxious glances, Michael and Isabel followed him, leaving Tess to trail behind.

Max ducked his head as he entered the opening, more from habit than anything else. His heart hurt so much he felt he was slowly shattering into a million pieces.

Looking around the small chamber, he found his incubation pod in the dim blue light. With slow, halting steps he made his way over to it and curled up inside. Half-forgotten memories of warmth and safety enveloped him. But they barely made an impression next to the emptiness where Liz should have been.

Sluggishly, the pod enclosed him. It seemed to sense his need for a place alone to sort out each of the thousands of impulses and feelings screaming for his attention.

Max curled into a ball, wrapping around himself, as he opened himself to all of them.

(***)

Isabel reached the cavern first.

"Max!" she yelled. She rushed over to the pod that held her brother. Michael and Tess weren't far behind.

"What's happening to him!" Isabel cried, turning to Michael.

"I don't know." Michael's voice was concerned.

"Leave him alone," said Tess, stepping forward.

"He's my brother," Isabel snarled, turning on her. "He's in pain and I… We," she corrected, looking at Michael, "aren't going to let him go through this alone!"

Standing firm against the anger she felt coming off the other two in waves, Tess said quietly, "The pod will help him."

"How do you know?" Michael snapped.

"I just do," Tess said angrily. Then more calmly, "Look, I know you guys don't like me very much right now, but you have to believe I wouldn't hurt Max."

"You already have, Tess," Isabel said quietly, referring to Liz.

Michael sighed. He put his arm around Isabel's shoulders and pulled her into a comforting embrace. She turned into his arms and began to sob. The events of the last few days came crashing down on her. Tess walking into their lives. Max being kidnapped and tortured. The reality of Nesedo. Losing Alex, maybe for good this time. Hearing her birth mother's voice for the first time and wondering if she and Michael would be able to do what was required of them. This and more came out with the tears.

All the while, Michael rocked her as she struggled with the emotional backlash.

"We are linked," he said when Isabel stopped crying. "We know what we are now, which is more than any of us had hoped for. We can't fall apart. We need each other if we want to find a way to save our people and that means cooperation. From all of us."

He looked from Isabel to Tess and back. "Got it?"

"Yeah," Isabel sighed.

"Yes," Tess said.

"Okay," Michael said firmly, relieved.

Isabel turned to the pod that sheltered Max and sat down next to it. Tess sat opposite her and Michael took up vigil at her side.

"We're here, Max." Isabel ran her hand over the orb that pulsed with blue light, cradling her brother.

Michael watched. He felt scared, not that he would ever admit it, as he looked through the semi-transparent skin that enveloped his friend, his brother. He tried to block out the image of going on without Max as their leader. How could he face the challenges ahead without the friend he had always been able to turn to?

In the end, Michael simply held onto the knowledge that Max had never let them down before and had faith that he wouldn't start now.

(***)

"Babe, neither of us should be alone right now." Maria's smile was determined to see the up side of the situation and her eyes were filled with tears.

She glanced around her best friend's bedroom. Liz had been a zombie ever since she had come running up to the mine that afternoon. Knowing something terrible had happened; Maria and Alex had guided her into the sheriff's car and taken her straight up room after he had dropped them off at the Crashdown.

It had taken them a while, but soon the whole story had come pouring out of Liz as she broke down into tears.

Alex had left then. Maria thought that he might have been in shock but figured he had his own way of dealing with the news. All Maria knew was that she couldn't leave her best friend tonight. Liz needed her and she needed Liz.

"I'm going to call my mom and tell her I'm spending the night. Then, I'm going to bring up comfort food." Suddenly, Maria's lips twitched with the first signs of humor she'd shown all day. "How does some Rocky Road sound?"

Liz cracked a small smile in appreciation of the joke. Anything to take her mind off Max, even for a moment. "That sounds great, Maria," Liz said quietly.

"Okay, hon," Maria said, softly, "I'll be right back."

Liz lay down on her bed and stared at the candles Maria had lit around the room. She could smell the heady, citrus aroma of the neroli. Maria had said the scent was good for relieving grief but Liz didn't think anything could relieve the feeling of loss that was breaking over her heart in waves.

Accepting that Max had a destiny and it was with Tess was crushing her. Walking away from him was the hardest thing she had ever done, but she couldn't stand in the way of something when her stubbornness could cost the lives of an entire race. In the end, Max would hate her and she didn't think she could survive that.

So, she had left him on the hill. She had run because the temptation to turn and hurl herself into his arms and tell him it was all a big mistake was overwhelming. With each step, she had felt a part of herself die. The part that was bound to Max Evans.

Now, lying in her bed, Liz knew what real suffering was. Real suffering was the absence of hope, the knowing that there was nothing there to save her. No way to struggle, no way to fight, just the acceptance… the awful acceptance. The void inside her soul was like a gaping wound that would never heal.

She looked up as Maria entered the room. When their eyes met, Liz saw the same emptiness echoed there, the kind that consumed until there was nothing left. She sat up and wordlessly held out her arms.

A sob was torn from Maria's throat at seeing the understanding and mirrored grief in her best friend's eyes. The tub of ice cream dropped to floor as she fell into Liz's arms.

Tears slid down her face and they tightened their embrace. They held onto each other for a long moment. When they let go, Maria sighed and wiped at her tear-stained cheeks. "I'd better go rescue the ice cream before it ends up decorating your carpet, chica."

Liz gave a half-hearted chuckle and got up to retrieve the fallen spoons.

Together, they ate the entire half-gallon of chocolaty goodness.

Maria looked down at the empty container, but her eyes had a far-away look. "There's no more, Liz," she whispered and began to cry.

"Oh, Maria… it's okay, it's okay." Liz hugged her and rocked her back and forth, tear beginning to well up in her own eyes.

When Maria pulled back she hiccupped a little, trying to control the heart-rending ache Michael had left behind when he had gone.

Together, she and Liz curled up on the bed, facing each other. Maria stretched out her hand and smiled sadly as Liz took it.

"I love you, Maria." Liz's voice was a soft whisper, reminding her that she wasn't alone. She still had Liz and Alex. The Three Musketeers, forever.

"I love you too, babe."

When they closed their eyes, they fell into the deep sleep born of exhaustion. But as they began to dream, tears escaped their eyes. Unconsciously, they clasped their hands tighter as they sought reassurance that they were not alone.

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><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

**A/N: R&R is always appreciated, so press the little blue button… :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title**: Revelations (part 2)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Quick recap, I first started this story back in 2000 at the end of Season One, but I had to stop writing before I finished the fic. Over a decade later and I ran across the old message-board hardcopy. Now, I just want to see if I can finish what I started back when I was 20. I really hated the direction the show took after Season 1 and want to see if I can write what I think should have happened! Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22. Mostly this is for me, just to see if I can finish, but like any fanfic author, I'm a total review junkie (so R&R plz)! Hope you Enjoy!_

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><p>Inside the incubation pod he had inhabited for the first years of his life on Earth, Max Evans' heartbeat and breathing slowed until they barely registered to the pod's LS sensors. His mind narrowed its focus with almost unbearable intensity on the one thing he wanted, he <em>needed<em> most.

Liz Parker.

The energies of the pod concentrated, swirling around him, pulling him deeper into the trance-like state. He felt himself swallowed in a void that threatened to stretch into endless forever. Fear flooded his mind and he began to fight the irresistible pull of that darkness.

_Liz._

In desperation, his soul reached for hers. Searching for the one person who was his anchor in this world, he _reached_ – and felt her. He was enveloped in the heat of her, their souls entwined… and held fast.

_He felt her silky hair under his fingertips as he tucked an errant strand back behind her ear._

_He saw the way her soft lips curved in a slow, gorgeous smile as she laughed at one of Alex's jokes._

_He felt the smooth texture of her skin as she fitted her body to his in a shattering embrace._

_He saw the promise in her eyes as she told him she loved him._

_He heard the sound of her voice telling him they would always make their own destiny._

The memories washed over him. They were halting at first, and then they came faster and faster… each leaving something of itself behind. Slowly, the void filled until it vibrated with warmth and light. With Liz.

She was there. He could feel her inside him. The connection was so strong.

At last he turned his attention to the questions swirling in his head. They were like powerful voices, all screaming for immediate answers! Answers he didn't have yet. But as long as Liz was there, he could do anything. Even face his future without fear.

_He accepted that he and Tess were together in another life, but did it follow that they were meant in this life? What of Michael and Isabel? And now that he knew where he was from, and what his purpose was, how could he help his people?_ Hundreds of such questions churned in his head but one stood out above the rest: _Could he sacrifice Liz to meet the needs of his people?_

_No!_ his heart screamed the answer.

_I would_, his head said with devastating clarity.

_It won't come to that_, Max thought fiercely. _I won't allow it to come to that._

With a new determination, Max Evans felt something within him that he had never thought to feel again.

Hope.

(***)

Liz woke from intense dreams with a start.

She looked over and saw Maria was still sleeping, though her dreams seemed restless. Maria's eyes were squeezed shut as her head thrashed slightly from side to side. Her breathing was heavy, as if she was struggling for each breath she took.

Liz placed her hand on the side of Maria's cheek, smoothing back her hair as she whispered, "Shh… Maria, everything is okay. Shh…"

It was a lie. Everything was not okay and Maria's dreams showed it. But Liz continued to soothe her friend until Maria's body went limp and she seemed to drop into a deeper, more restful, sleep.

Liz took Maria's hand again and held it close as she lay back down. She turned her face and looked out the window.

The V constellation blazed brightly from the heavens. The stars glowed, strong and steady, and Liz's gaze remained fixed on their pattern as the memory of her dream washed over her.

Max had been calling her name. He had been trapped in some kind of black void that was pulling him under; his hand had been stretched out toward her, his eyes pleading for her to take it. Liz remembered that she had been unable to resist, no matter the price.

As her fingertips had touched his, he had grasped her hand in a firm grip. The connection had been instantaneous and complete, as if it had never been gone.

Memories of the way his eyes glowed with desperate love when he said she meant everything to him; the way he traced the rim of her mouth with his tongue, as if to memorize her taste, before drawing her into a soul-shattering kiss… those and a hundred more came flooding through her in that moment. She had felt as if their souls were becoming one.

Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes, made molten silver by the moonlight, to disappear in the mahogany waves of her hair. Liz felt despair course through her veins. It had only been a dream. It wasn't real. The newborn hope that had sprung up in her heart died quickly and painfully.

Liz turned away from the stars, ever-present reminders of the one thing she wanted most and could never have again. She squeezed her eyes shut against the painful memories and curled to tuck her knees up under her chin.

"Oh, Max. Why did you have to save me?" Her whispered question was met with no answer but an empty silence that echoed in her heart.

(***)

Max's body convulsed and he felt his stomach fall, as if somehow momentarily left behind, as he dropped out of trance.

His eyes opened wide, temporarily blind, until he blinked rapidly to clear his vision. He focused on the bluish glow of the membrane surrounding him. His hand stretched out and his fingers slowly traced the white veins criss-crossing its surface. Flashbacks of the last time Max had observed this singularity drifted into his mind.

_Déjà vu_, he thought.

Extending his arms, palms out, he pushed. The elastic skin encasing him offered only a slight resistance before it gave way.

Birthed for a second time in this life, Max Evans felt out the ground as he rose to his feet. His eyes adjusted rapidly in the dim light of the chamber. He was still sorting through the conclusions he had reached during his time in the pod when he noticed the three people asleep at his feet. They had been partially hidden by the semi-darkness.

"Isabel, wake up," Max said softly as he reached down and gently shook her shoulder. Her eyes snapped open at the sound of his voice.

"Max!" she exclaimed, launching herself into his arms. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

Michael and Tess woke at her shout and jumped to their feet.

"Maxwell!" A relieved grin spread over Michael's face as he watched Max and Isabel embrace for a long moment before letting each other go.

Standing back from her brother, Isabel asked, "What the hell did you think you were doing?" Her voice was rough with the memory of her worry.

"I'm sorry if I scared you, Iz," Max said as he looked around the group. "I just needed a place to sort some things out." His expression became reflective and a little confused as he gestured to the incubation pod behind him. "It… wanted to help me."

Isabel nodded, accepting even if she didn't fully understand.

"So, what now?" Michael asked, stepping forward.

Max looked over at him and his expression was that of someone committed to a course and determined to follow it through. His time in the pod had been a gift. His mind felt clear and he had reasoned through the issues that had threatened to overwhelm him. Now, all that remained to do for the moment was to start the process of straightening out the mess they were in.

"Now, we contact Nesedo," Max said.

Tess' eyes widened in surprise and she asked, "But how do we find him? He's Agent Pierce now, so we have to wait for him to contact _us_, right?"

Max shook his head. "We have the phone he used to call Pierce when he kidnapped Liz."

Tess saw his eyes flash with some undefined emotion as he said the other girl's name, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. Max continued, "He gave it to me to return to her. The number is still in the memory."

Max pressed a button and lifted the phone to his ear, saying, "All you have to do is press 'Redial'."

"Hello, Agent Pierce, please," he said to the muffled voice on the other end of the line. He shook his head slightly, "I know, 'There's no Agent Pierce.' Ma'am, would you just pass along a message? Tell him 'The girl will be in Hondo at two o'clock tomorrow afternoon.'" He paused, listening intently. "No, I understand. Just tell him, alright? Right." Lowering the phone, Max pressed '**END**'.

Michael's eyebrow rose, silently asking what that was all about.

Max looked around the group. "We need more information before we can make any decisions about how we're going to handle… all this." He motioned around the cavern, referring to all the revelations in their origin and their purpose that had been so recently revealed.

"Tess," he said, looking at her again, "We need to know everything we can about this other alien race and our own. I want you to go to Hondo and wait for 'Pierce' to show. I'm sure he'll get our message. Take as long as you need but come back as soon as you have answers. Then, we'll decide what course of action we want to take… and, while you're with Nesedo, you might want to have him write you a note so you can explain this little vacation from school when you get back."

Privately, Max considered his personal and practical reasons for sending Tess on this trip. It was true that she was the best option when it came to dealing with Nesedo, but it also gave Isabel, Michael and him much needed time to sort things out without her interference.

"Until then," he continued as he gestured to Isabel, Michael and himself, "we need to get home."

Max turned to his sister and best friend. "How long was I in there?"

"You were in the pod for two days," Michael answered.

"Two days!" Max's voice was disbelieving.

"Yeah," Isabel confirmed, adding with a tired smile, "Mom and Dad are probably in full-on panic mode right now."

"Well, we can figure out our stories on the way back," Max said, grimacing, "Right now we need to get Tess to Hondo."

"Okay, so let's go," Michael said, walking to the entrance. Max smiled at Isabel as they all followed him out into the sunlight.

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><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

**A/N: R&R is always appreciated, so press the little blue button… : )**


	3. Chapter 3

**Title**: Revelations (part 3)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Quick recap, I first started this story back in 2000 at the end of Season One, but I had to stop writing before I finished the fic. Over a decade later and I ran across the old message-board hardcopy. Now, I just want to see if I can finish what I started back when I was 20. I really hated the direction the show took after Season 1 and want to see if I can write what I think should have happened! Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22. Hope you Enjoy!_

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><p>Max glanced to the right and saw the sign proclaiming "Roswell, New Mexico: Aliens Welcome!"<p>

The drive back to town had been a silent one for the most part. Max could literally feel the tension in the jeep. It was a nagging ache in the back of his skull. He could sense Isabel's worry and Michael's vague apprehension, but Tess… Tess was a blank. Max was a little surprised he couldn't feel anything from her. But there was no time to wonder as they pulled up to Michael's apartment.

Reaching over, Max caught Michael's arm before he could jump out.

"Our place. Tonight," Max said.

Michael nodded before he leapt out of the jeep. He turned and gave a slight wave, then disappeared through the door.

Max pulled away from the curb and quickly drove to their next destination, the Harding house.

Hoping out of the jeep, Tess turned. "I'm just going to pack a quick overnight bag so I can catch the noon bus. I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?" She smiled at Max.

"Sure, Tess," Isabel said with a casual flip of her hair. And if her smile was a little strained, Max didn't think Tess noticed.

"Alright, guys," Tess said, "I'll see you in a few then." With that she pivoted and walked into the house.

As Max turned the key in the ignition, he just hoped there would be time enough before she got back to talk to Isabel and Michael about the problems they were facing – not to mention take care of the more personal difficulties. His thoughts settled for a brief, unsure moment on Liz.

The jeep ride home was quieter than the one out of town, but when they pulled into the driveway Isabel reached over and touched Max's arm as he cut the engine.

"Max, what are we going to say to them?" Her tone was anxious.

"Well, whatever it is we have to think fast," he said, smiling.

Isabel sighed. "I think we should tell them, Max."

"You do?"

"Yes." Her expression was a strange mix of confident and edgy in the face of such an unknown. And their parents' reaction to learning their children were from another planet was the biggest unknown she could think of. She knew Max was dreading it. That's why his answer surprised her so much.

"You're right, Iz," Max said, slowly, "but I don't think now is the time."

"But we can tell them soon?" Isabel felt as if a tremendous weight had been lifted off her shoulders at her brother's words. To be able to share this with their parents was a dream come true. She smiled. _Finally, no more secrets. No more lies._

"Yeah, Izzy, we'll tell them soon." Though Max was uneasy with the concept of telling their parents the whole truth about them, he could see how much it meant to his sister. "Now that we know who we are, they should know too. It wouldn't be right to keep it from them anymore."

Isabel's smile was radiant when she grabbed him in a crushing hug.

"Thank you, Max."

He smiled and squeezed her tight for a moment before letting her go.

When they got out of the jeep, Isabel came around and took Max by the hand. Together, they walked up the front steps and opened the door, stepping inside.

(***)

Back in his apartment for the first time in days, Michael Guerin sighed as he flopped down on the couch. He covered his face in his hands and pressed his fingers into his eye sockets, his mind coming around to the last thing on this planet he wanted to think about.

Maria De Luca.

Memories of the way her hair glinted all golden in the sunlight flashed across his mind's eye, tormenting him. With a frustrated growl, he pushed himself to his feet and stalked over to the refrigerator. He yanked open the door and lifted out a quart of milk.

He just had to keep reminding himself that she wasn't safe with him. Hell, she wasn't even safe _from_ him! That thought made Michael grimace as he raised the milk to his lips and drank straight from the carton.

The knock on the door surprised him.

He shoved the milk back into the fridge, quickly wiping his mouth off on his sleeve as he reached for the knob of the front door. He opened it.

"Alex," Michael said, startled.

The lanky young man at the threshold gave him a small lopsided smile. "Michael, you're back." It seemed as if he hadn't expected anyone to answer the door at all. "So, I guess that means Isabel and Max are in town too."

"Yeah." Michael's reply was curt, his eyebrows raised.

"Okay." Alex's smile was in place even though Michael saw pain flash in his eyes. "Well then, that's all I wanted to know. I guess I'll see you later." He turned to leave.

"Hey, Alex," Michael called, stopping the other young man in his tracks.

"Yeah?" Alex looked back.

"She'll be okay." The words were quiet.

Knowing exactly who _she_ was, Alex's smile became a little more genuine. "Thanks, Michael."

Michael's expression was a strange mix of pity and understanding as he watched Alex go. With a shake of his head, he turned back into his apartment and closed the door.

(***)

That night found Isabel Evans sitting at her vanity where she had almost completed her nightly ritual.

She and Max had concocted some insane story about a group campout that they had left a note to their parents about on the table. At his parents' disbelieving stares, Max had quickly asserted that the note must have blown away or something.

Still not quite believing them, Diane Evans had proceeded to give them a thirty minute lecture on safety and the importance of letting one of them know if they were going to be out for the night… much less for a three day trip they were going to be missing a day of school for. _"Next time, pick up the phone and _call_ us," their mother's voice had been strained with remembered anxiety. "We thought you had been kidnapped or something."_

_Max had looked more than a little guilty at that_, Isabel thought. The memory made her smile grimly. Her mother had hit the truth and not even known it.

Taking up a bottle of expensive oil-free lotion, she began to apply a light layer to her face, carefully smoothing it over each feature on her way from her forehead to her chin. Her dark brown eyes fluttered open as she rubbed the excess into her hands and reached over for her brush. Slowly, running it through her hair, sliding the bristles carefully over each strand, she studied her reflection in the mirror.

Isabel found it slightly surprising that there was no radical transformation visible after the events of the last few days. Max's kidnapping, and the subsequent breakout, combined with the information they'd been waiting their whole lives to hear created a storm of conflicting feelings she hadn't even begun to deal with. Emotions she knew Max and Michael could sense raging just beneath her skin. She felt a tension building in her, one she didn't understand.

The one thing she did understand was the instinct that seemed to blanket all the rest; her need for Alex Whitman.

Even the thought of him helped her to calm herself enough to maintain control. But it also brought back the pain of the decision to be made between her feelings for Alex and her pre-ordained mating to Michael.

Isabel tossed the brush back onto the vanity and roughly pulled her hair up into a high ponytail. Her eyes glittered with emotions that threatened to break though the carefully constructed wall around her heart. She struggled with tears as she pulled on a pair of loosely fit, light blue cotton pajama bottoms. She quickly tied the draw string at the waist and shrugged into the white cotton tank top that completed the ensemble. It was time to talk to Max and Michael.

She walked over to her bedroom door and quietly slipped out into the hall. Her bare feet padded silently over the carpet as Isabel walked into her brother's room, closing the door behind her.

She found Max sitting cross-legged on his bed and went over to join him. Counting Crows was playing on low volume. Their eyes met in mutual understanding but they said nothing as they waited for Michael.

They didn't have to wait long. He appeared outside the window and Max quickly moved to let him in.

"Hey, Michael." Max greeted him as he closed the window behind their best friend.

Michael nodded and walked over to the desk to take the only remaining seat in the room. He quietly pulled the chair across the floor. Turning its back to face the two on the bed, he straddled the chair and let his arms cross over the backrest as he leaned forward.

When everyone was settled, Isabel asked in hushed tones, "What are we going to do?"

Max smiled a little. Trust Isabel not to skirt the issue. Even as a child, she had always asked the hard questions first.

Michael startled them both when he stood and began an agitated pacing. "Maybe we should start with 'What do we know?'" he suggested abruptly, his tone growing more upset by degrees. "We know that our people are enslaved. We know we were brought back to save them. We know we belong somewhere. And, we know we have to do whatever it takes to get back to that somewhere and help our race."

Isabel could feel the agitation coming off him in waves. Her knuckles whitened as she clenched her hands together tightly.

Max's voice was calm and steady. "Michael, we all agree that we'll do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal, but you know that's not the real issue tonight."

Michael stopped pacing and stood still in the middle of the room.

Isabel slowly forced her hands to relax, concentrating on one finger at a time, as she looked at her brother. She knew what he was saying.

Obviously, Michael did too, because he interjected quickly, "It'll take all four of us to do what we're needed to do. Otherwise, they wouldn't have brought Tess back. There had to be a reason."

"He's right, Max," Isabel said.

"I know, Iz," Max said, "But everything our birth mother told us was about a different life."

He continued, "I will find a way to help our people, but I won't – I _can't_ give up Liz."

Even though Michael felt much the same way about Maria, despite his fear he would someday hurt her, Michael still needed to question. He had to be sure that Max had thought this through and that he wasn't acting solely on personal feelings. Which is why he said, "We could still have been paired for a reason, Maxwell."

Max was serious when he said, "I've tried to think logically and what I come up with is that we were paired that way in the past, so that's how they want us to pair now. I don't think it's necessary to our mission though." He took a deep breath. "What I do know is that I have never felt for Tess what I feel for Liz. Not in this life or any other."

His eyes took on a solemn quality, begging to be understood. "Every time I think of spending the rest of my life without Liz, I can't even breathe. How could my deepest instincts be wrong?"

Isabel studied her brother's face. The intensity she saw there told her he meant what he said. She glanced over at Michael. His expression was carefully blank, but long years of knowing and loving him gave Isabel insight others may have lacked. In his eyes she saw hope.

Max continued, "Could you _really_ be with Izzy, Michael?"

Isabel's eyes locked with Michael's and she saw the answer before he said it.

"No." Michael sighed.

"And you, Iz?" Max asked.

"No," she said, quietly. Her heart began to pound as the realization of what this admission meant hit her.

_Alex_.

Michael's gaze was steady as he reached out his hand. Isabel didn't hesitate as she placed hers to his, palm to palm.

"You will always be my brother," she said softly.

Michael nodded, his feelings for her showing in his eyes. They were family.

Isabel felt safe in the knowledge that she could call on that love at any time and be assured of his answer. She looked from Michael to Max and wondered how she had gotten so lucky. She had two of the most wonderful brothers on this world or any other.

Michael cleared his throat uncomfortably, breaking the silence of the moment. "So, now that that's settled, I'm going home to get some beauty sleep."

"You could use it." Max laughed and Isabel smiled.

"So could you, Maxwell" Michael said with a crooked grin as he walked over to the window, opened it, and disappeared over the sill.

Isabel turned to Max and laid a hand on his shoulder. She knew what he was feeling because she felt the same. "We need to talk to them or we'll never get any sleep tonight," she said.

Max's face sobered. "Iz, if I find out I've lost her for good I don't think I could handle it."

Isabel struggled with her own fears as she hugged her brother tightly. "She loves you, Max, that's one thing I'm sure of. You won't lose her."

Max squeezed back and wondered how he had ever gotten so lucky to have her as a sister, unknowingly echoing Isabel's earlier thoughts.

Letting him go, Isabel grinned and said, "Go get her."

Max's answering grin was blinding as he slipped out the window. When he reached the street, Isabel watched as he began to run.

_Liz is a lucky girl_, she thought.

Her thoughts turned to Alex and she sighed. She needed him… and she knew exactly where to find him.

(***)

Across town under the muted street lights of the UFO Center, a stranger stepped out of his car and onto the street. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew a palm-sized, black pentagon. Blue lights flashed and a faint pattern of blips sounded. The coordinates triangulated in this town.

_They're here._

His first instinct was to seek them out and destroy them, but he was under strict orders. He would wait and observe. He was patient. He could wait.

Pocketing the strange devise in his hand, he got back into his car. He started the engine and slipped it into gear, driving to the nearest of the many motels to rent a room and send back his report.

A cruel grin stretched his features.

_Oh, yes. I can wait._

* * *

><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

**A/N: R&R is always appreciated. So, press the little blue button… : )**


	4. Chapter 4

**Title**: Revelations (part 4)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M) (AR)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22._

_Okay, so this is where elements start to diverge from the original story I wrote back in the day, since any 'after S1' was totally my imagination back then. I'm adding a bit of cannon from Season 2 because I want this story to feel as genuine to the spirit of the show as possible. More S2/S3 cannon is a-comin' in future Chps too. Hopefully, I can edit the original plot of this story to incorporate some of the S2/S3 characters in a good way. More work, but 'hey' it's fun! And two chapters are going up today (4 & 5) because 4 got delayed and I wanted to give a 'thanks for hanging in there' bonus!_

_a HUGE "Thank You So Much!" to Tay for being the most awesome beta in any universe. You're taking time out to help and I don't have the words to tell you how AMAZING you are!_

_Okay… enough blabbing! Hope you like this installment…_

* * *

><p>Liz Parker sat in a chair on the balcony outside her window and prepared to write in her journal for the first time in days.<p>

She took a deep breath and opened the pages, careful not to read any of the entries of the last months, those memories were still too painful. Instead she flipped straight to the first blank page and set her pen to the paper.

Raw emotions welled up inside, burning with fierce intensity. But this time, instead of pushing them back, Liz let them flow through her and onto the page in front of her.

_June 6__th__, Journal Entry 202, I'm Liz Parker. Three days ago I gave up the only person I will ever love for the greater good of a people that I don't even know… and I don't think I'll ever be okay again. Losing him hurts so much I can't even breathe sometimes. I dream about him. Sometimes it's even like I can still feel him next to me, then I wake up and I remember…_

It was Tuesday night, three more days and then school would be out for the summer. She hadn't seen Max in class for two days now, but Liz knew that he would be back, she could feel it. And she didn't know how she was going to make it through seeing him with Tess in the halls.

It was going to take everything she had to hold it together when even thinking about them as a couple made her stomach pitch and roll painfully. She had an aunt in Florida, maybe she could stay with her for the summer. Just to get away. Maybe some distance would make things easier…

Liz's head came up as Sarah McLaughlan's 'Hold On' came wafting through the window. She realized she had left the CD changer on random, thinking the music might ease some of the hurt. Tears slipped unnoticed onto the paper, smudging the ink, as the lyrics washed over her.

The memory of the look on Max's face as she'd said goodbye for the last time flashed before her eyes.

He'd had that expression of confusion and disbelief, like he couldn't understand what she was saying to him. Just when she thought she couldn't bear to witness anything more, the understanding had dawned in his eyes. She'd seen an agony there that she now observed every time she looked into a mirror. That was when she'd turned and ran.

"_Liz?"_

For a moment, she thought his voice was a part of the memories.

Until she looked up into the darkness and saw him standing on her balcony in front of the ladder that led down onto the street below.

Her eyes widened when she realized _this_ Max Evans wasn't one of her nightly fantasies; then her lips parted on a broken sob as she mouthed the word "No", her throat closing up around the words that were impossible for her to say again. But her eyes betrayed her; they roamed over his body hungrily, starved for the sight of him.

Max had been standing in the shadows, watching her write, feeling unsure of himself, of her; but when he'd seen the tears he'd become aware of a heartache that mirrored his own, but wasn't his. He felt her pain wash over him and became conscious of only one thing. Liz Parker shouldn't hurt like that. Ever.

He took a step forward, wanting nothing more than to soothe the hurt away.

Liz sat frozen as she watched the man of her dreams walk towards her. His eyes were full of all the intense emotion that was constantly between them. Her heart threatened to break repeatedly, though she'd thought it already shattered.

_I can't say goodbye again. I just can't!_ she thought as panic threatened to engulf her.

It was a struggle to breathe. Everything she had always wanted stood before her and it was all she could do not to reach out and, this time, never let go. But she couldn't, she just couldn't.

Max felt as if his heart was being squeezed by a giant fist. Each breath began to hurt as he watched the tears continue to slide, silently, down Liz's face. The hurt in her brown eyes sliced him to the core. He couldn't stand it anymore.

"Liz," he said softly as he reached out and gently traced his fingertips down her cheek.

The connection was immediate and violent. Memories of the day she'd run from him flooded into his mind. The feelings, Liz's feelings, slammed through him so hard he had to fight to hold on to himself. Hurt, her hurt, raged through his soul. _Oh God, Liz!_ His thoughts were a pained whisper. _What did I do to you?_

_What did I do to you?_ The thought echoed through Liz's mind. She leaned forward as she felt the connection that linked their souls pulse with grief and shared pain.

She knew what he was seeing, what he was feeling. She felt the remorse that flowed through him as her eyes remained locked with his.

"Max," she said, "It isn't your fault. It's no one's fault."

His eyes flared with emotion as he cupped her face in his hands. She felt a surge of love pulse through the link between them and she closed her eyes tightly against the tears. She didn't think she could take much more of this.

"Why are you here, Max?" To be this close to him and know he wasn't hers anymore was killing her.

"Liz, no!" Max's eyes widened as her thoughts became plain to him. Her eyes flew open as she heard him say, "I'm yours. I'm here and I'm _yours_."

"What?" Her voice wavered, afraid to hope. "I don't understand."

"I'm saying that from this point forward, no matter what happens, we are together." Max's expression was open and sincere. "I will _never_ let you go again, Liz."

Her lips trembled as the realization of his words hit her. "Max, you're sure? What about Tess? What about your people, your destiny?"

"_You_ are my destiny, you're part of me." The look in his eyes said it was that simple.

Max reached down and took Liz's hands in his, carefully keeping the connection wide open. He began to trace her slim fingers with the tips of his own. "Let me worry about Tess and the others. There has to be another way and, besides, you said yourself that we can make our own destiny. I believe that. I believe in us. As long as you still love me?"

The question was so unexpected; Liz was speechless for a moment. "Of course I love you! I have always loved you, Max."

Max ruthlessly suppressed the feeling of triumph that welled up at her words. He took a deep breath, knowing that what he was about to say could ruin everything. But he realized Liz needed to consider it all; all the risks that came along with the decision to be with him. This had to be her decision.

"Liz," he said quietly, "we have a lot of enemies right now and they're not all human. It's a lot to ask but you have to decide now, Liz. And if you still want to be with me, chances are life will never be normal for you."

He knew it wasn't fair to ask this of her. If he was a stronger man, he would walk away for her own safety. But he couldn't help but hope she would chose him, in spite of the dangers, because, as selfish as it was, he didn't think he could live without her. So, Max caught and held his breath when she looked down at their hands, still linked, with their fingers intertwined.

Liz raised her head to face him again and his breath expelled in a rush as he saw her answer in her eyes, also feeling it through the connection between them. Her expression was serious, but her gaze was filled with love.

"I choose you, Max." She smiled, "Besides, what's so great about normal anyway? At least with you I'll never be bored, right?"

Max felt a surge of overwhelming joy sweep through him and he caught her up in a hard embrace.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Liz pressed her face into the hollow of his neck, where she fit so perfectly, as she inhaled his scent.

_Max_, was all she could think. She sighed, squeezing him tighter. She tried to put as much of herself in contact with as much of him as she could.

Liz felt the emptiness of the last days without him vanish as though it had never been as her body absorbed his presence. Something that her scientific mind recognized as a sense of correctness swept through her and she thought, _This is where I belong. This is what feels right._

"I love you so much, Liz," Max said into her hair. His eyes were closed as he adjusted to the fact that she was in his arms again. Feelings of contentment and relief blanketed his soul while he held her close, concentrating on her heartbeat as he felt his own alter its rhythm to match hers. It was so natural to him that their hearts beat at the same pace, their breaths coming at the same time. In and out.

After a moment, they reluctantly separated; but as their bodies moved apart, their eyes clung to each other.

Max was serious when he laid his hands on Liz's shoulders. "You have to promise me that you'll never do anything like what you did on the hill again. Especially when you think it's for my own good." His voice broke a little, "I don't think I could survive losing you again, Liz."

"I know," Liz said softly, "I promise, Max. I will never leave you again… from now on, you're stuck with me." Her smile was bright enough to put the stars to shame.

Max grinned. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

They stood for a moment, just gazing into each other's eyes, until Max came back to himself with a shake of his head.

"Um, it's getting late. You probably want some sleep so maybe I should head back home," he offered reluctantly.

Liz's response was completely unexpected.

"Stay," she whispered. Her eyes were wide, reflecting in their depths her love and genuine need. "I need you with me tonight, Max."

She took him by the hand and led him through the window into her room.

"Liz?" In his voice was the question of what she wanted him to do and the assurance that whatever it was, he would do it. Liz pulled him toward the bed, pausing only to remove their shoes, and pushed down the covers. Then she turned to him.

"Just hold me, Max." Her voice became raw with remembered pain. "These past few days… I just need to feel you with me." Her eyes met his, asking for understanding.

Max understood completely. Moving under the blankets, he held up the corner for her to get into the bed. Liz smiled as she slid between the sheets and into his arms. He pulled her into a close embrace, tucking her head under his chin. Max sighed when he felt Liz relax into his body, the tension melting from her form until she was completely settled.

He shifted her more firmly against him and then closed his eyes to better concentrate on the feeling of her breath as it lightly caressed his throat.

Liz curled her fingers against Max's nape, sliding his hair between them in little, soft stroking motions. She couldn't quite credit the feeling, but she felt almost compelled by some internal instinct to talk to Max about the night that followed their separation on the hill.

Something pushed her to say quietly, "The night after you and the others activated the orbs I had strange dreams. Tell me what happened to you after I left, Max. Tell me everything..."

* * *

><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

**A/N: R&R is always appreciated. So, press the little blue button… : )**


	5. Chapter 5

**Title**: Revelations (part 5)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22, which makes it AR._

_Okay, so I'm including a FAIR WARNING - this Ch includes a little 'lime'aid. This fic is rated 'M' for a reason, ppl. (To cover my cute bum for scenes like below :) So, if you're not okay with it, don't read this Ch, and you should probably stop reading this fic altogether b/c I don't think I'll remember to issue warnings every time._

_That said, I hope you guys like this installment!..._

_And a big "Thanks!" to Tay for betaing. You're the best! :)_

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><p>Isabel Evans turned her brother's Jeep off the main highway and down the narrow road that led into the quarry. It was the place Alex and she had first begun star-gazing together in the desert months ago. Gravel crunched under the tires as she rolled to a silent stop and quietly put the SUV in park. She hopped out and began walking the rest of the way down the steep path.<p>

She was aware of what she would see before even passing the first outcropping. She knew this was one of those critical moments that would decide the course of her life to follow; but she ruthlessly repressed her insecurities and fear, focusing instead on her feelings for this boy.

She stepped around one of the boulders and into the shadows thrown off by the moon, needing a moment to gather her courage before she could face him. She didn't know if she would have the answers he needed but she couldn't walk away without first offering him a chance to ask. Isabel felt the now familiar unease, wondering if he would still accept her knowing as much of the truth as she could give him, or if it would be too much.

Did he love her enough? _I would give anything to know the answer to that right now_, she thought. Isabel raised a hand to brush a lock of hair behind her ear as she looked at him.

He was sitting on their rock. His head was bent in concentration as his nimble fingers plucked out a series of notes on his guitar. The rhythm became more complex as he ran through the cords again and again. Each time, he seemed to gain a little more mastery of the song.

Isabel smiled. She recognized the tune. It was a song he and Maria had written together for their band. Maria had titled it "Czechoslovakians".

Isabel's smile faded quickly when Alex abruptly stopped playing and made a rough, hollow sound of frustration. He violently swept his hands back through his hair, holding them at his nape, as he clenched his fingers tightly. His expression reflected an inner conflict, painful and intense.

Unexpectedly, he dropped his hands and swung his guitar into position. Strains of a harmony, so very familiar, wafted on the breeze. Isabel's eyes widened. The song was 'Tonight and the Rest of My Life' by Nina Gordon. She knew it by heart. It was one of her favorites.

She used to sing it for him out under the stars. He was the only one she'd ever done that for. Her voice was not nearly as good as Maria's, but Alex never seemed to care. He'd just look at her with all the love in the world as they shared those quiet moments together.

Her voice was a husky alto as she whispered the lyrics to the first verse. Realizing she couldn't hold herself back from him anymore, knowing that she didn't want to, Isabel lifted her voice to carefully wrap around the counterpoint of Alex's guitar. Melody and harmony blended as she sang the chorus softly.

Alex raised his head when he heard her voice. Their eyes met, their gazes locked, each betraying nothing and everything in the same instant. Alex continued playing, his sensitive fingers never faltering, as Isabel stepped out of the shadows toward him. Her eyes stayed on his as she began the second verse.

She felt almost as if she was being pulled to him, connected, by a force she didn't control. It was outside her realm, calling to something inside her that she thought had been walled off and buried deep, and now it felt like those walls were crumbling like so much sand with each step she took.

As she sang the chorus again, a feeling of rightness enveloped her. The certainty of her feelings passed through her as she opened herself to the peace that always accompanied Alex's presence.

He was an anchor to her storm. Isabel stopped, leaving only a short distance between them, and stood still as she completed the final verse.

The last notes were soft, almost inaudible as she let the words slide away into silence.

Isabel's breath caught while she waited for Alex to make the first move; anything that would tell her what she had come here to know. She searched for a sign of his feelings and clung to a hope she had only begun to let herself feel.

Alex lowered his guitar and rose to his feet in one fluid motion. He couldn't believe she was here – and yet, he had known she would come. There was too much left unsaid between them. His thoughts touched briefly on Liz and Maria. He wondered fleetingly if they were receiving similar visits tonight.

When he had first seen Isabel on the other side of the quarry, he hadn't been sure she was real. She had seemed a figment of his imagination.

From the moment he had first seen Isabel Evans in the third grade, he had known she was perfect, his ideal companion. That she would ever care for him was a dream he had only contemplated in his most private of moments. That it had become a reality was unbelievable.

And here she was, a goddess incarnate, asking him without words to make a choice that he knew was no choice at all.

Silently, he opened his arms to her and waited.

Tears of relief and joy gathered in her eyes as Isabel stepped into his embrace. Alex drew her into him tightly, tucking her head under his chin. He heard her whisper his name and felt her hands flatten on his back in a slow caress.

Alex smiled ruefully, turning his cheek into her hair, as he felt his body harden swiftly in its appreciation. Isabel felt it too and giggled softly as she moved her hands to settle on his hips and snuggled into him teasingly. She laughed in delight when Alex let out a heartfelt groan and quickly set her away from him.

Isabel's gaze was filled with tenderness when she leaned back into him, brushing his lips with hers. "I love you, Alex."

The words were soft, but they struck his heart with the impact of star gone supernova. His hands clenched reflexively on her arms and he leaned back to look into her eyes. The truth of her words was there, shining back at him.

Alex closed his eyes and laid his forehead to hers as profound emotions filled him. Isabel smiled. She felt a glimmer of his feelings through the faint connection forming between the two of them.

He opened his eyes and locked them with hers. "I love you, Isabel."

Tears slid down her face and she felt the floodgates break within her. Alex pulled her back into his embrace swiftly. He sat down, bracing his back against the stone, tugging her down onto his lap. He rocked her and ran his hand up and down her back in a light caress. His other hand moved to her hair.

She leaned into his caress, his agile fingers felt heavenly as they stroked her head, running smoothly through the strands of her hair. She sighed as the tears subsided, for good this time. She felt safe in the security of his arms and laid her head on his shoulder.

"So," he said quietly, "do you want to tell me what happened?"

After a moment, Isabel nodded.

She told him everything, about her mother and the long awaited secrets she had revealed; Max and the incubation pod; Tess' mission in Hondo; and, finally, the talk Max, Michael and she had had about their future and their decision to disregard any concept of pre-ordained destiny.

When she'd finished, Isabel sighed and turned her face into his throat. Her ear was pressed against his chest, so she felt the rumbling as she heard his voice.

"I'm glad." He tightened his arms around her. "Even though it's for my own selfish reasons, I'm very glad, Isabel."

Stretching, she pressed a kiss to his temple then relaxed back into his embrace. "I am too," she said with a smile, "I want to be with you, Alex."

Emotions fresh and gentle to be fully explored as yet unfurled between them, pulsing down the newly formed connection. Alex closed his eyes and let the feelings break over him.

"You know, don't you?" he whispered into her hair.

"Know what?" she asked, curious and relaxed.

"That I'd do anything for you."

Her fingers tightened where her arms lay over his in a close press. Her mind flashed back to memories of the day he'd first said that to her in the Crashdown.

"You know, don't you, Alex?" Her tone was soft as she asked the same question of him.

"Know what?" he asked, huskily.

"That I'd do anything for you." She ran her fingers over his arms with a simple touch. It was the first time she had ever said those words.

Alex closed his arms more firmly around her and she felt a strong pulse of adoration and pride through the link between them.

"I know."

(***)

Morning light slanted in through the window as the sun dawned, streaking along the horizon.

Max lay in bed, his eyes closed, to savor the sensations that rose within him at the feel of the girl of his dreams lying quietly in his arms for just a few more moments. He opened his eyes and raised his head, propping it on a free hand, so he could settle Liz more firmly against him with the arm he had draped around her torso. They must have shifted into 'spoons' sometime during the night.

They'd stayed awake into the early morning hours as Max had told her everything about the pod and they'd decisions made, as well as those yet to be made. Liz had listened intently, interrupting only to ask a question or offer an insight.

They'd both had questions about their connection. It was a new ability to sense what the other was feeling and to sometimes hear each other's thoughts. It was amazing and a little frightening, but they'd both agreed it was a gift.

And, as Liz had pointed out_, "I really don't think this breaks my ranking Top 10 on the 'Alien Weirdness' list. I honestly doubt anything will ever top the Tabasco and Cherry Coke thing. That's just strange, Max."_ Which had prompted Max to retaliate by kissing her senseless.

And when they'd realized the bond was strengthened by touch or heightened emotion, Liz had smiled up into his eyes with a playful look and Max had relaxed into the pillows in mock surrender, ready to let her have her way with him. Her touch had felt like heaven, even with their clothes on, but the absolute love that flowed between them was what had them both seeing stars.

Now, Max reached over and tucked Liz's hair behind her ear as he leaned down to kiss the soft curve of her cheek lightly. Only then did he glance and the clock and groan. It flashed 5:15am. It was time to start the day. His parents would be up in forty-five minutes.

Reluctant though he was to disturb her much needed rest, Liz had made him promise to wake her before he left. Stroking her shoulder, he carefully opened the connection between them to send a pulse of pure love down the link as he gently whispered, "Liz, wake up."

She sighed and Max felt her drowsy response as feelings of comfort and contentment came back to him and she turned into his arms, trying to bury her face in his chest. Then she stretched, her eyes peaking up at him through a thick fringe of lashes.

"Morning," she whispered, her voice husky with sleep. Then her eyes widened as she bumped into evidence of his early morning arousal. Max raised an eyebrow, completely unashamed of his body's reaction to her nearness. Liz laughed and hugged him to her, positioning her hips to comfortably cradle the bulge. Max groaned into her hair.

"You're killing me," he moaned hoarsely.

"I love you," Liz replied sweetly.

"Mmm…" was his answer as he leaned over to take her mouth and hot desire flared through the connection between them.

She sighed into his mouth and returned each caress of his tongue with one of her own. She felt herself being pulled headlong into the undertow of the lethargic passion gathering between them. Her head began to spin and she felt dizzy.

The only thing that remained clear was her keen awareness of Max, the press of their bodies, and the growing need to get as close as she possibly could to the hardness that was pressed against her center. An increasingly hollow ache began between her thighs, making itself known in no uncertain terms as the throbbing intensified with each foray of Max's tongue in her mouth, each brush of his fingers over her taunt stomach and the undersides of her breasts.

She made needy little sounds in the back of her throat as she began to slide against him, her hands rushing over his back restlessly. She positioned herself to press his erection firmly against the core of her that was throbbing so intensely. A wave of his passion broke over her, making her whimper, and she attempted to ease the ache by applying pressure in small, undulating motions that temporarily offered some satisfaction but ultimately increased the tension that seemed to be winding tighter in her center, demanding release.

Max gasped into her mouth as he felt the melting heat of her pressing so firmly to his hardness, even through both their jeans. The instinct to remove the barriers and bury himself in her was overwhelming… its very intensity was what pulled him back to his senses.

"Liz… we can't." The words came out haltingly, between deep breaths of air.

His words penetrated the haze surrounding Liz and she looked up into his eyes.

"Oh, God," she said, shocked.

"Ditto," Max said with a little laugh.

Each could feel the other's body rock with frustrated yearning but the overwhelming tenderness and concern she sensed from Max was what gave Liz the strength to smile back, and slowly lower her legs from around his waist. The aching lack of fulfillment was intense but she knew it would ease with time. Besides, it was only fair when she could so clearly feel Max's struggle with his own frustration.

Maybe she would try one of those cold showers Alex was so enthusiastic about.

"Mmm… it's almost six," she reminded him softly.

Max groaned and snuggled under the covers with her for another moment. He closed his eyes to absorb more of the incredible sensations of their physical closeness and the open connection between them, and then took a deep breath before he pushed off his half of the blankets and sat on the edge of the bed. He quickly pulled on his shoes and turned back to her. Reaching around her body, he tucked her firmly back into the covers and leaned down to place a quick kiss on the end of her nose.

"Sleep in as much as you can. I'll be here to pick you up at 7:45," he said with an adorable grin.

"Love you," Liz said, quietly.

"I love you, Liz Parker," Max said, the emotion readily evident in his eyes.

He couldn't resist leaning down to kiss her hard on the mouth before he silently climbed out the window. Liz sighed and curled up under the blankets for her recommended snooze. The alarm would sound at six twenty but, somehow, she didn't think she'd mind waking up this morning. She couldn't wait to start the day!

A slight smile touched the corners of her mouth as she drifted off into a light sleep.

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><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

_A/N:__Okay, so what did you guys think?_** Remember, R&R is always appreciated. So, press the little blue button… :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Title**: Revelations (part 6)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M) (AR)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22, which makes it AR._

_I can't believe so many of you guys are "Favoriting" and "Story Alerting" this fic! So cool! Thank you!_

_And, as always, a HUGE "Thank you" to Tay for being such a great beta. The Pod Squad and I are lucky to have you!_

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><p>Michael Guerin sighed as he watched the first streaks of morning light bathe the room in a warm glow. Light glanced off the curtain of shiny stones and through glittering beads to make little dancing rainbows on the far wall. Candles of different shapes and colors gleamed mutely in the tawny light. Their flames had long since extinguished but a heady citrus aroma still lingered in the air.<p>

Michael wondered briefly what the scent was supposed to be for. But when he turned and looked at the girl lying by his side he made no move to wake her and ask.

His head leaned back against the headboard as he studied her in silence. Inside, he struggled with the complex feelings her presence stirred in him. Her face was kissed by the dawn's early glow, revealing delicate skin and the faint shadows that had formed beneath her eyes.

Michael reached over to smooth a golden strand of her hair behind her small ear. His fingers lingered for a moment to trace the delicate line of her cheek, before drawing away.

His thoughts drifted back to the night before.

[Six Hours Earlier]

When he climbed out Max's bedroom window he struggled not to go to her. But the more he tried to turn his thoughts to anything else, the more stubbornly his mind had returned again and again to the girl who haunted his dreams awake and asleep. As he walked through the night back to his apartment, he felt almost compelled to take the route past her house.

She was asleep when he slipped into her room. Aromatic candles burned on the dresser and nightstand, throwing her petite form into pale relief. He stood still as she shifted restlessly, thrusting one arm out and turning her face into the other's palm. Her legs kicked out at some unseen threat, further twisting the tangled sheets, and she whimpered softly in her dreams.

Alarmed, Michael stepped toward the bed and took hold of the hand she'd thrown away. The connection flared with a startling intensity, and wrenched Michael out of himself and onto her dream-plane.

_Maria was running. Pain, hollow and aching, lodged deep within her as she burst out of the Crashdown and onto an empty street. Panic washed through her and tears blurred her vision, but she continued to sprint down the road. The scene changed to one of the desert – on the hill, by the pod chamber._

_Michael saw an image of himself appear in front of her._

"_I love you," he heard himself say, his dream-face solemn, "Goodbye, Maria."_

_He saw himself disappear into the chamber, a stone wall appearing to block the entrance._

"_No!" Maria screamed, her fists pounding on the rock. "Michael!"_

Michael was thrown from the dream. He blinked as he stared down in shock at her fragile outline. He noticed, as if for the first time, the faint purple bruises beneath the sweep of her lashes. Then he realized he caused this and his heart filled with pain and guilt; the determination to shelter and protect her was instinctive. He carefully eased onto the bed. Keeping her hand firmly tucked in his own, Michael concentrated on the connection between them.

He couldn't stand her hurting like that and began to unconsciously communicate some of that feeling, his love and desire, to her restive mind. Her emotional response was immediate. Hurt and mistrust flowed back down the link.

Michael smiled grimly and focused only on thoughts of love and reassurance. Slowly, Maria's body relaxed as her heart accepted what her mind could not. Relief swept through Michael and he felt her slip into a deep, dreamless sleep.

He slowly untangled the blankets she'd kicked to the bottom of the bed, and he tenderly pulled them up her body to cover her. As he lay down again beside her, he froze when she shifted in her sleep to curl up against him. She rested her head on his chest, just over his heart, and sighed before going lax again in his arms.

A strange feeling of peace unfurled itself within his soul. He struggled to push away the knowledge that he would have to leave her before she woke. He'd already accepted that it was too dangerous for her to be with him. He knew he could never endure it if anything were to happen to her.

The knowledge that he was doing the right thing, keeping her safe from him, as well as his enemies, was the only thing that made the emptiness within him bearable when he wasn't with her. The only thing that made it all worthwhile.

He closed his eyes as he distanced himself from those thoughts.

Michael sighed and concentrated instead on the feeling of Maria in his arms. He turned his face into her hair and cradled the hand that curled, trustingly, on his chest with his own. He inhaled her scent, imprinting it in his memory, along with a thousand other little things that were so uniquely Maria, to remember when he was far from Earth.

Michael tightened his grip on her for long moments before he let his muscles go slack. He opened his eyes, turned his cheek into her hair, and stared out the window. Awake and fully alert, Michael watched over Maria as she'd slept and waited for the dawn.

[Six Hours Later]

Now in the morning light, Michael stood up from the bed and took one last look at her sleeping form. Unable to resist, he slowly uncurled his fingers into her golden hair and ran his thumb over her lips in a soft caress.

When he pulled away, her face turned into his palm, unconsciously seeking something he couldn't give. Pain, bright and unconcealed, flashed in his eyes before he withdrew. Slipping out the window, he walked away.

(***)

Maria woke in a rush.

_Michael_, she thought. Happiness surged through her as she opened her eyes. Swiftly, they roamed the room, expecting to find him standing over her; his spiky hair flattened on one side from sleep, his mouth quirked in that special half-assed grin, his eyes glowing with the look that was for her and her alone…

Maria's gaze filled with confusion and disbelief when she realized he wasn't there. The measure of peace that had been gained in the night slipped away, leaving behind only the black void she struggled against daily which threatened to swallow her whole as the terrible heartache crashed through her.

She squeezed her eyes shut and turned her face into the pillow beside her.

His scent washed over her.

_He was here. I know he was here_, was all she could think. Her fingers clenched into the fabric convulsively as her body shuddered, racked by heaving sobs. Her knees curled up to rest on her chest and she hugged the pillow to her.

_Michael…_

(***)

"**BEEP, BEEP, BEEP**… _Good morning, Roswell! _It's another beautiful, sunny…"

The D.J.'s annoyingly cheerful voice was cut off abruptly when Isabel reached over and slapped the big, black button on the alarm clock resting on her nightstand. One eye opened reluctantly, looking out through thick, flaxen strands as she scanned the merrily blinking, red digits. 6:35.

_Oh, God_, she thought, blinking the sleep away_, I am _not_ a morning person_.

She groaned softly and pulled herself out of bed, running her fingers through her hair to dislodge what was left of the French braid that had been struggling vainly to contain the wild strands. Golden wisps gently framed her sleep-flushed face.

Alex and she had stayed in the quarry throughout most of the night, talking and watching the stars move across the night sky. They'd finally decided that they should head home when they'd realized it was only a few hours until dawn and they were going to need at least _some_ sleep before the day began.

The reluctance Alex had shown when he'd relinquished his hold on her had kindled incredible sensations that Isabel was still relishing. And their parting kiss had re-ignited the blaze of emotion she knew would always be between them.

More memories of the night rushed over her and she smiled, opening her closet door. She reviewed the available selection.

_Now, what would Alex most appreciate? Something red, I think…_

Her grin became impish as she reached into her extensive wardrobe.

(***)

Max smiled softly as he stepped out of the shower and wrapped his hips in a thick, blue towel. His mind kept going back to scenes from last night and this morning with Liz. His eyes glowed with happiness while he rubbed the moisture from his dark hair, remembering the sexily mused way she had looked when he had kissed her good morning.

Never had he seen a more appealing sight in his life. All he'd wanted in that moment was to slide back under the covers with her and never leave her bed. His smile widened as he walked back into him room and shut the door. He couldn't wait to see her again. A pair of patterned boxers, blue jeans and a t-shirt came out of his dresser.

He tossed the towel onto the chair by the desk and quickly got dressed before he walked back out into the hallway. He paused briefly at Isabel's door and rapped loudly.

"We pull out in twenty minutes, Iz!"

"Alright!" came the muffled response before she swung open the door. Her eyes flashed happily and she gave him an impulsive kiss on the cheek.

"I'll just take a quick shower and then I'll be right down," she said before she dashed off down the hall.

Max grinned after her for a moment before heading for the kitchen.

Diane Evans was eating the last of her whole wheat toast at the table.

"Morning, Mom!"

She looked up, her mouth full, and smiled as she waved and gestured for him to join her. He walked over to the cupboard and pulled down a bowl and cereal, then stopped to check the clock.

School officially started at eight ten, but the gang usually gathered at Liz's locker around eight to check in with each other before splitting up for the day's classes. Max tried to control the hum of anticipation rippling over his skin at the thought of seeing Liz again, and he reached into the refrigerator to pull out the milk carton. Pouring it over his cereal, he quickly put the milk away, added a dash of Tabasco, then moved to sit down at the table.

Mrs. Evans quirked a curious eyebrow as she watched her son rapidly consume the bowl's contents with a single-minded determination.

"What's the rush, honey?" she asked, amused.

Max's expression was a little strange when he mumbled, "Iz and I want to get to school a little early, Mom. You know, get a head start and all."

"Ready!" Isabel announced, making her grand entrance and startling the two at the table. It was an accepted fact in the Evans' household that Isabel was _never_ ready on time. They watched her in stunned silence as she hurried over to the fridge and pulled out a peach and two single-packs of strawberry yogurt. She paused briefly for a spoon.

"Come on, Max! Let's go!" Her expression was filled with excited impatience.

Max grinned as he took one last bite of his cereal before depositing the empty bowl in the dishwasher. Diane watched in surprise as they hurried out the door, each calling, "Bye, Mom!" hurriedly over their shoulders.

She wondered briefly what that was all about, but supposed she should be grateful they seemed to be taking an interest in school again. She glanced at the clock and her eyes widened.

_If I don't get going I'll be the one who's late_, she thought as she quickly grabbed her briefcase and dashed out the door behind her children.

(***)

Alex answered his front door almost as soon as Isabel laid her finger to the bell. His eyes widened in true appreciation as he took in the stunning vision standing on his doorstep.

Her gorgeous figure was wrapped in a slim, red demi-dress that tied up around her throat to leave the long sweep of her back exposed and draped down in soft folds that ended mid-thigh.

Isabel leaned in for her 'hello' kiss, and said, "I thought you'd like it."

He was completely serious when he took her hand and said, "You take my breath away."

Isabel smiled brilliantly at the complement.

"That was the idea," she teased and tugged on his hand, pulling him out into the sunlight. His fingers closed more securely on hers as they walked to the Jeep where Max anxiously waited until they got in.

"Hey, Alex," he greeted the other boy with a quick, friendly smile before he hastily pulled away from the curb, heading straight to the Crashdown to pick up Liz.

(***)

Liz Parker sighed as she opened her locker after fourth period and reached in blindly to pull out her Trig textbook. They had a really big final tomorrow and she'd decided to do a little cramming in the quad at lunch before her next class, but somehow she didn't think she was get much done. Images of how sexy Max had looked when he had met up with her that morning flashed through her mind's eye.

A melting sensation gathered in the pit of her stomach, curling out until her whole body filled with a blissful glow. She gave a slight start as someone bumped into her, jarring her from the memories. She turned to see Kyle Valenti standing beside her.

"Liz," he said quickly, "I'm sorry about that." His familiar smile was present but she could tell he felt more than a little uncomfortable.

"It's alright, Kyle," she said, smiling. Then she reached out and touched his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

The genuine concern in her eyes eased some of his discomfort a little and his grin became a little more real.

"Yeah," he said, jokingly. "You know it takes more than a near death experience to slow me down."

Liz laughed.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later then," he said.

"Yeah, Kyle. See you later," she replied.

She watched for a moment as he melted back into the rush of students and began to navigate his way down the hall. She hoped he was really okay with the eye-opener he'd had when Max had saved his life, healing the stray bullet that had hit him during the showdown with Pierce. Her thoughts drifted for a moment as she wondered.

Then she turned her attention to the book in her hands. A rueful grin touched her features, embarrassed to see she held the wrong textbook.

_You have to get a grip on yourself, chica! You're in love with the most amazing guy on the planet but it's not going to work if you get completely distracted every time you even think of Max Evans._

Liz shook her head and reached in again to switch books. Then she closed the locker door to lean against it, facing down the main hall, as she prepared to wait for the rest of the gang to arrive. Everyone usually met up at her locker before they made for their usual table in the quad.

Suddenly, large hands slipped into her pockets from the rear, flexing as they pulled her back flush against the hard body behind her.

Liz inhaled sharply when their latent connection flared into vivid life. A fierce sense of gladness and love rushed toward her as she met, and matched, its force until it pooled between them to break in concentrated waves. She turned into strong arms and his hands slid out of her pockets, coming to rest at the small of her back.

She whispered his name.

Max's lips met hers in a soft kiss, suppressed desire flaring between them, as his hands began to massage the base of her spine in short, light strokes. The kiss inevitably deepened and the world fell away. Liz's mouth parted in a soft gasp as Max's tongue traced her lower lip and then swept inside to caress her own. He groaned harshly and Liz leaned forward to mold her body more closely to his.

She slid her hands from their perch on his shoulders up around his neck to settle at his nape. Her fingertips began to sift through the short, soft strands of his hair. She started to purr deep in the back of her throat, arching into the solid hands at the small of her back.

The sound of a throat being cleared loudly broke through the spell Max and Liz had woven around each other, penetrating the haze of desire clouding their minds.

"Not that the student body isn't thoroughly enjoying this display of affection, but if you two get any hotter I'm going to start charging for tickets," Alex said.

Isabel's muted laughter followed his dryly delivered statement.

Max felt a blush creep up his neck as they loosened their embrace and Liz buried her face against his chest for a moment. He wondered fleetingly if her face was half as bright as his was right now. If the feelings he was getting from the link were any indication, he decided it was a good bet.

Max smiled reassuringly when Liz raised her head to look up into his eyes, her cheeks were flushed prettily but her eyes were serious. The look communicated what she didn't say. She was just now realizing how fully they were linked. It was like they couldn't control themselves when they touched each other without some seriously concentrated willpower.

In that moment, they couldn't even stand to be separated by mere inches of air; choosing instead to stay connected, Max took ahold of Liz's hand as she pressed her body up against his side. It was a relief to feel the strength of the connection between them. It felt like they were each half of a complete whole in the other's presence.

Max nodded to Liz, indicating they would talk about it later. She squeezed his hand and sent him a quick pulse of comfort and support to show she understood. Then she turned her attention to Alex and Isabel as she, too, smiled.

Max looked up to see Alex and Isabel as they stood off to the side and tried so hard to contain their cheesy grins. Alex's arms were wrapped around Isabel's waist and she had leaned back into his chest. Liz rolled her eyes at the other couple and Alex just winked back.

"Hey, have you guys noticed we've got some absentees here?" Isabel asked suddenly, looking around.

"Yeah. Maria.," Liz said, "You know, I haven't seen her all day, you guys."

The group looked at Alex, he shook his head slightly. He hadn't seen her either.

"What about Michael?" Alex asked, squeezing Isabel's hand.

"I saw him earlier," Max said quickly, "He said he was going to work on one of his sketches."

Alex looked at Max and asked, "How's he doing?"

Isabel and Max exchanged a significant look, before Max said, "You know Michael. It's hard to tell sometimes."

The words were non-committal but Alex and Liz both read between the lines. Michael wasn't any happier about the breakup than Maria was.

"What about Maria?" Isabel's eyes were filled with poorly veiled concern, as she changed the topic to the other half of the couple they all viewed as part of their 'family'.

Now it was Liz and Alex's turn to exchange a look. They both just shook their heads.

Max's hand tightened around Liz's , their fingers intertwined in mutual support, as they all thought of the friends they knew were hurting so deeply.

"They have to do this on their own," Max said, softly. "We can't interfere."

The other's nodded, knowing he was right, but obviously not happy about it.

They all looked up when the doors to the school opened suddenly to admit a lone figure who strode purposefully up to the group by the lockers.

It was Maria; but the girl walking toward them wasn't the sweet, irrepressible spirit they knew her to be. Dark bruises showed beneath eyes that were red with recent tears. Her skin was so pale it was almost translucent. Her hands clenched at her side in tight fists, as though holding onto the very edges of her self-control.

Her whole appearance showed clear signs of strain and exhaustion… everything except her expression. Her face was a mask of barely suppressed wrath. She looked like an avenging goddess.

"Where is Michael?" Her voice was low and dangerous.

"He's in the Art Room," Max said instantly, as the others stayed silent.

Maria nodded once in acknowledgement before marching off down the hall. Students parted like the Red Sea as she walked past, her look promising agonizing retribution to anyone who stood in her way.

Alex was the first to crack a grin when she disappeared around the corner.

"Oh, wow," Isabel whispered. Her smile dawned like the sun and Max and Liz started to grin too.

She looked to Liz for confirmation of her suspicions. When Liz just nodded, her grin widening smugly, Isabel started to laugh.

"Well, we might as well get something to eat while we wait," Liz said as she started to lead Max in the direction of the quad. He pulled the textbooks out of her other hand to carry them for her as he let her pull him forward.

Alex and Isabel were quick to follow. Whatever happened, Isabel was sure Maria and Michael needed time to resolve their issues alone.

_Still…_ she thought drolly_, I would definitely pay to see the look on Michael's face when she gets ahold of him!_

* * *

><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

**A/N: R&R is always appreciated. So, press the little blue button… :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Title**: Revelations (part 7)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M) (AR)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22, which makes it AR. Hope you Enjoy!_

_Thank you again to Tay for being brave enough to beta the melodrama… I totally heart your red pen. ;)_

* * *

><p>Maria paused to consider her emotional state as she came to door of the Art Room. Underneath, what she reminded herself was <em>totally<em> justifiable anger; lay a kind of panicky fear. This was one of those moments when the decisions made would alter the course of her life forever.

She firmly reminded herself of the heartache she had felt that morning when she'd realized he'd abandoned her again. He couldn't keep doing this to her. She didn't think she could survive him walking in and out of her life whenever he felt he wanted to be with her; always knowing that he would just leave her again in the end…

Hurt rose to wash over the anger. If it happened again, it would kill something irreparable inside her.

Michael trying to avoid dealing with their relationship wouldn't solve this for them; but she knew how tempting it was to take the easy way out and to stay away from the conflict that would force a decision, maybe the one she didn't think she was ready to face. She knew it was a moment of weakness but when she opened the door there would be no going back. Not for him, not for her.

Maria's fingers fumbled briefly in her pocket before closing around the vial she made a habit of taking with her everywhere these days. Opening the cap, she inhaled the sharp, woodsy scent of cedar. The aroma evoked a soft feeling of comfort that helped settle her nerves and maintain a better grip on the pain that rose within her.

She laid her hand on the latch, opened the door and stepped fully into the room. She shut the door quietly behind her.

He was standing in a shaft of direct sunlight that streamed through the far window. Maria's breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight of him. Though the canvas was turned away from her, she watched in fascination as deft fingers move a piece of charcoal in broad, bold strokes across its surface.

His spiky hair stood on end, as though reacting to the magnetic electricity ablaze in his eyes, which were trained on the sketch in front of him. His body was ridged and focused, as though he was trying to push all of his being, all of his essence, into this work. Maria was mesmerized. This was the alien she loved in his purest form. His obsessions, his angers, his fears, his loyalties, his loves… his all.

_Keep it cool, girl_, she reminded herself.

In a charged moment, his eyes lifted to meet hers as he became aware of her presence almost instantly.

"Maria," he said, struggling to sound surprised.

"Hello, Michael." She fought to keep her voice as chilly as the northern tundra. Now was not the time to dish on her feelings.

Michael's expression briefly showed his unease before closing down to reveal nothing more than a mask of indifference. It was an ability that had driven Maria insane when she had first gotten to know him, but now she was connected to him in ways she didn't always understand. Now she could still feel the uncertainty and caring that she could no longer see.

It permeated a new link between them.

He could also feel the hurt and fear that radiated from her, in pulses so strong, they made him slightly dizzy before he clamped down hard on his mental control. He worked to withdraw as deeply as he could from the connection between them. But as hard as he fought against it, his gaze still roamed hungrily over her face, her form.

Warmth seeped into his soul when he looked at her.

_Damn it!_ He had to stop letting this happen every time she came around! It just wasn't safe anymore for them to feel what they did for each other. It was time she understood and accepted that.

To combat the feelings her mere presence caused, he forced himself to imagine her body lying dead, her soft skin leached of all warmth, her beautiful blue eyes dull and lifeless.

That was the future for her if she stayed with him. He wasn't fully in control of his developing powers, and no one knew it better than he did. He was dangerous to anyone who couldn't protect themselves from him – and Maria was human, totally helpless in the face of what he could do.

Still seeing the imagined images of her death, his skin became chilled and his jaw clenched with steely determination. He would keep her safe, no matter what the cost.

"Why are you here?" he asked harshly, breaking the stretched silence. "I've stayed out of your way; you've stayed out of mine. We don't have to do this."

"Yes, we do," she said firmly as a wretched resolve swept over her heart. It was just so hard. Why did everything between them have to be so hard? Maria continued, stating, "I know you were with me last night." At his startled expression, she smiled fleetingly. "You know I can feel it when you're there now."

She paused momentarily to consider how best to say what she needed to say; then decided the direct approach was the only way.

She sighed, her confusion and frustration beginning to show, as she asked, "If you don't want to be with me, why did you come? You say one thing and then do another, Michael. Why are you doing this to me? Is this just some kind of game to you or something?"

They stood in silence for a moment and he wondered how to make her understand what could happen. Even if he could, he knew what she would say – that it didn't matter. And it didn't, to her. But it did matter to him. She was everything to him.

Maria's loyalty, once given, was total and absolute. She wouldn't care what happened to her as long as she was with those she loved – and that included him, though he didn't really understand why. It was one of the reasons he loved her and one of the things he would save if she would just leave him behind. He had to keep her away from the dangers he represented now.

"Don't you get it? I couldn't control what I did to Pierce! I could _hurt_ you, Maria!" His voice was thick with strain and anger.

"You don't know that. You would never hurt me, Michael. Never." Her eyes glittered feverishly and the absolute trust he saw reflected there only made him more frustrated.

"Well, I _don't_ believe that!" Michael's gaze pleaded for understanding but his voice was hard with resolve. "And I can't take the risk! It's just too dangerous for you to be around me."

Maria looked at him in disbelief, her banked anger beginning to rise. "You think I don't understand the fear of losing someone important to you? That I don't feel the same way when I look at you? You conceited jerk! Of course things will get dangerous and frightening. I mean, look at what happened last week! But I _refuse_ to let some unseen 'whatever' determine how I live my life. We all make our own choices." She paused abruptly, her eyes wide with unshed tears and her voice softening, "…and I choose you."

It was the first time anyone had ever said that to him aloud. He nearly staggered under the incredible mix of joy and pain her words invoked.

"No. I can't take that chance. I can't lose you." The torment of his decision filled his words with a finality she couldn't bear.

Maddened by his unreasonable stubbornness, her body went ridged and her hands clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"So – what? You think that if you push me away, you won't lose me? Well, news flash, spaceboy… That's _exactly_ what happens!" Maria said.

Michael felt the frustrated bewilderment she always managed to provoke rush through him. Fury at the way she refused to listen clouded his mind. Couldn't she see that he was trying to save her life? Her attitude was just so typically _Maria_.

He was completely focused on the girl in front of him and the mass of conflicting emotions that swirled inside him. He didn't even notice as his palms began to glow. The frame of the canvas started to blaze with an inner light before immolating beneath his hands.

Michael's shocked gaze moved to the sudden pile of dust and splinters at his feet. His face blanched paper white.

Maria stood in stunned silence as he slowly opened his tightly clenched hands and charred bits of pulverized frame slipped from between his fingers and onto the floor. Her chest felt tight as she took deep breaths, trying to reorganize her scattered thoughts into some semblance of order.

Michael's eyes rose to meet hers and he began to slowly back away; her shocked expression impressing upon him the cold reality of the dangers he posed better than words ever could.

His mind reeled with the implications of such uncontrolled powers while he moved to get around her and out the door. Michael didn't know how much longer he could stand seeing that blank, stunned look on Maria's face before his heart simply shattered. This "gift" made him some kind of monster!

_Not like Max._ The memory of the day he had killed Pierce and Max had saved Kyle swept over him. He drew the same conclusions now that he had then. Max healed and he destroyed. That's all there was to it. All there had ever been.

He had been kidding himself to think he could have what Max had – to even wish that he and Maria could ever have what Max and Liz shared. Damn it, he had to get out of there!

Michael's sudden bolt for the door snapped Maria out of her ill-timed trance.

She realized what he was doing and how her response must have looked to him in the same moment she moved to block his path. The door felt solid and cool as she pressed her back against it, barring Michael's escape. She rested her hands on the metal bar that pressed into the small of her back and regarded his slightly panicked expression with a calm gaze that barely concealed the turmoil within.

"What are you _doing_?" Michael's tone was strained and faintly hostile as he asked the question to which the answer was painfully obvious.

Maria's look grew even more closed and expressionless as she answered, "I think the question is 'What are _you_ doing?', Michael."

"What I have to do." Michael's gaze became harsh and even more inscrutable. "Don't you realize what just happened… what could have just happened _to you_? And don't try to delude yourself that someday it won't!" His eyes suddenly clouded over with an anguish more intense then she would have believed any one person could feel if she hadn't felt its shuddering pulse though the connection between them.

Her gaze clashed with his when he continued, painfully, "You have to accept that, right now, I'm the danger here! Not to mention the things Max, Isabel and I will have to face now that we know who we are. We have an entire race to save, and it's not going to be some kind of walk in the park. There are going to be casualties and I won't let you become one of them." His fists were clenched and his jaw hard.

They both felt their heightened emotions reverberate down the link, becoming more intense with each passing moment.

"I can't let you put yourself in danger anymore… not for me."

"Michael," Maria finally said, her tone shaky but determined, "I hate to break this to you, but what I do with my life is _not your decision_. I love you. I belong with _you_."

Maria struggled against her anger at his hard-headedness and the silent tears that slid down her face. She tried to put all the conviction and determination she felt into her next words, but they came out as a plea she made straight from her heart.

"I'll handle this whole 'saving your world' thing however you want. Just stop asking me to walk away from you – it's just not something I can do anymore. Don't leave me, Michael."

New pain mixed with the long ago cries of the child she'd been. Her eyes remained locked with his as the mingled feelings of pain and remembered betrayal pulsed through the connection between them, amplifying their emotions until the hurt became unbearable.

"Maria," he said softly. He reached out and grasped her arms. Her suffering and his own mingled until he didn't know whose he felt anymore. Images of her dream, of his disappearance into the incubation chamber, flashed across his mind's eye.

The realization of what this was doing to her hit him hard. First, her father had walked out on her and now him. The harsh truth was that the one person who was doing everything he could _not_ to hurt her was abandoning her – and no amount of justification or noble self-sacrifice was going to change that fact.

_Maria… I didn't think…_ The magnitude what his decision felt like for her seared itself into his soul. In that moment, he surrendered.

She began cry out loud when she felt his strong arms gathering her small form into a crushing embrace. Her arms came around his waist and she hugged him to as hard as she could, burying her face in his chest and inhaling his warm scent.

She heard his voice as he whispered hesitantly into her hair, "If you want me… I'll stay."

Relief and joy swept through her and she looked up at him through wide, blue eyes.

"I'll take you however I can get you, spaceboy," she said quietly, the wonder of discovery of in her words.

His eyes softened and she felt she would drown in the tenderness he showed as he cupped her face in his wide palms, running his fingertips along her cheeks.

"You will never lose me. I won't leave you again, Maria." Michael's lips met hers in a kiss filled with passion and need. The connection flared as desire throbbed along its length. The kiss deepened, her tongue flicked along his, teasing him mercilessly.

Michael tasted her tears and his fingers dug into her waist as he growled deep in his throat, crushing her mouth beneath his. Her arms tightened in response as she felt the sensations that had begun in the pit of her belly flood through her system, pulling her under.

Her legs came up around his waist when he picked her up, his hands supporting her, in their mutual need to be closer. She gasped when she felt his erection press to the center of the pulsing core that was so achingly empty and the beginnings of the small contractions in her belly that robbed her of any breath.

Maria clung to him, tightening her grip with her arms and legs, as Michael moved to press her back against the smooth wall. Her mind cleared of everything except the feel of his skin against her own. Supporting her against the wall with his body, his hands swept up under her tank top, spreading his fingers over her flat tummy to brush the undersides of her breasts.

The light caress sent shivers of excitement pooling into her belly and she moaned softly into his mouth.

"Whoa, Michael! …Maria!" The exclamation of surprise came from over by the doorway.

Maria's mind clamored with confusion and thwarted desire. She lowered her legs from around Michael's waist, rioting emotions still coursing through her body. Michael's arm held her tight against him, refusing to let her go, as he turned with a growl and they both looked over at the boy by the door.

It was Sam Murphy, one of Michael's classmates in his sixth period art class.

"I'm sorry, you guys." Sam's eyes were averted as he looked everywhere but at the couple he'd just caught in a heavy make-out session against the classroom wall. "I didn't know anyone was in here, I swear. I was just going to work on my painting… but I can come back later." His hand felt out the door behind him as he stammered his apology, his freckled cheeks reddened brightly.

Maria sympathized with the embarrassment in his expression and laughed softly as Michael grumbled over the interruption. Sam was an okay guy, and she didn't want him to feel that it was his fault he had walked in when they were the ones who should have taken it somewhere a little more private.

"Hey, Sam," she greeted the other boy, shooting a significant look at Michael. "It's okay… we needed to get going anyway. Our friends are waiting for us in the quad and we have to grab some lunch."

She pulled Michael toward the door.

"See you around sometime. Good luck with your painting," she said, cheerfully, as she brushed past the other boy. Ignoring his wide-eyed stare and Michael's look that said she was crazy, she pushed Michael out the door and closed it behind her.

While Michael just kept looking at her in disbelief, Maria winked impishly and quickly led him down the hallway. She opened the third door on the left and pulled him directly into the Eraser Room to indulge in a few time-honored traditions.

Michael's eyes widened appreciatively when he realized where they were.

Maria grinned. "Now… where were we?"

Michael smiled broadly as he swooped down to take her mouth with his own.

(***)

He had stationed himself where he would have an unobstructed view of a place called 'the quad' and still be relatively unnoticed among the sea of ever-changing students all around him. He shifted awkwardly in his seat; reflecting for a moment on how uncomfortable the direct light of this sun was on the pale, pimple-faced form he was currently forced to wear in order to _remain_ unnoticed by those around him.

His superiors had ordered a low profile be kept, which meant attracting no notice and accumulating no body count. This last order had been made very clear, much to his disappointment.

They were only humans after all. It wasn't as if their lives were worth anything in the long run.

He waited, unobtrusively, for his quarry to come into range. He'd been assured by his inquisition of one of the students that everyone came through this area at some time during the day.

His short-range scanner hummed steadily from where it was concealed in the palm of his hand. When the first of their people had arrived on this planet, they had discovered that long-range scanners were scrambled by interference generated by some of this planet's natural ores. Short-range scanners were the only reliable detection devices available after that.

They had been forced to wait until the orbs had been activated before a strong enough signal could be detected and used to pin-point the enemy's general location.

When a group of four students entered through the archway to his right the scanner lit up, beeping softly and vibrating intensely. He quickly brought his hand under the cover of the table and studied the device. The indicators were spiking madly.

The atmosphere of power was very strong around the tight-knit group who quickly chose a table and sat down – too strong to be human.

It was them.

He took the opportunity to study their current forms and faces. The air of authority was obvious around the tall, well-built young man with dark hair and eyes.

_So this is Zan,_ he thought.

His gaze moved on to the petite, dark-haired girl beside the reborn king. His brow rose when he felt the unmistakable aura of _shetar_ between the two. It was all he needed to confirm his suspicions. She must be Ava, Zan's intended bride.

His eyes moved to the couple across from the two leaders. The statuesque blonde was obviously Zan's sister, Vilondra, which meant that the tall, lanky young man at her side must be Rath, Zan's second-in-command and Vilondra's betrothed. The feeling of _shetar_ between those two was half-formed but obviously strengthening.

He found the intensity of both couples' bonds to be very interesting and worth mentioning in his report.

Visual confirmation complete. It was time to go back to the motel's dingy room to send out his last solo report. The others would come soon. Then, the next phase would begin.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

**A/N: R&R is always appreciated and I try to reply to everybody. So, press the little blue button… :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Title**: Revelations (part 8)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M) (AR)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Sorry this one took so long! I lay the blame entirely on a summer cold, a new job, and corporate restructuring. To all of you who're sticking with this story in spite of the detours and delays – THANK YOU. You're the best._

_Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22, which makes it AR. Hope you Enjoy!_

_To Tay, my lovely beta. Thank you for all you do to make this ever so much better._

* * *

><p>Isabel Evans looked up at the bright sun overhead and was thankful that they had chosen a table in the shade. They were lucky it had been open. The quad was packed with other students just as desperate to escape the day's heat she noticed as she scanned the crowd.<p>

Blonde hairs prickled at the back of her neck when she noticed the boy staring at their table from across the quad. His face was pale and dotted with rather large pimples. His hair was a lank, sandy brown and, though she couldn't quite make them out, she had the impression of cold eyes watching them with interest.

Those eyes met hers for one strange moment before he got up and walked back into the school.

_Creepy_, was the only way she could describe the moment.

_Okay, get ahold of yourself, Isabel. He's probably just one of your more psychotic admirers. Nothing you can't handle, _she thought as Alex squeezed her hand to get her attention.

She turned her interest back to the discussion at hand, dismissing the strange boy from her mind. Isabel picked up a fry and dipped it in Max's Tabasco and honey sauce as she listened to Alex's words.

"What we really need to get is access to more information on your enemies," Alex said, turning to face Max. "You need to know what you're up against before you can fight them."

"You're right, Alex," Liz said quietly, setting aside her Trig notebook. Studying for the final could wait. This was important. "Max, you guys can't stand against something you don't understand."

"I know," Max sighed, "And we're still waiting for Tess. She's meeting Nesedo today so, hopefully, he'll have the information we need. We just have to be patient."

That brought Isabel's mind more fully into the conversation. She turned to look at her brother and asked, "What are we going to do about her, Max?"

"Do about who?" Michael asked as he strode up to the table, his expression interested and alert. In one hand, was a basket containing a chili dog with extra chili and fries; Maria's hand was tucked firmly in the other. He took a seat and pulled Maria down next to him.

"Hey, what have you two been up to?" Isabel's smile was decidedly wicked, her thoughts moving from one topic to the next with the blinding speed of the social butterfly she was.

She laughed delightedly as Maria blushed and Michael scowled. When she looked over at Liz, the other girl just smiled and winked.

Managing to hide his own amusement at Michael's discomfort, Max took pity on them and turned the subject back to the original topic.

"To answer your question, Michael," Max said, with a quelling look at Isabel to remind her that this wasn't the time to pick on Michael, "Tess is the 'who'."

Michael raised an eyebrow and nodded as he ripped open some sugar packets and dumped it on the chili.

"I think I understand what Iz is trying to say," Liz said quickly and glanced at Michael with a reassuring smile. "We've all made some really big decisions that she doesn't know about and… well…" Liz trailed off, unable to think of a tactful way to say it.

Maria didn't have that dilemma.

"You mean you think she's going to turn into a 'Grade A' bitch when she finds out we've all decided to stick together, right?" She wrinkled her pixie nose in exasperation, knowing they needed to get ready for Tess' return and finding Michael's chili and sugar mix really nauseating.

"What?" Michael asked her with a grin. He gestured with the hot dog, "Want some?"

Maria just snorted in disgust and punched him in the arm.

Ignoring Michael's comment, Liz continued, "Yeah, and, in her mind, I'm going to be the problem."

"You're not a problem," Max said quietly. His arm encircled her shoulders in a protective embrace.

Liz smiled up into his eyes and, for a quiet moment, the world narrowed to include only each other before it slowly expanded again.

Her voice was soft when she said, "Tess wants you, too – and I can't blame her. She's spent her whole life being told you're her destiny. That's not something you just get over." Liz sighed. "I know what it is to lose you and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I just… I don't know… I just don't want her to hurt for something we can't let go of. I love you and…"

Max's kiss cut her off mid-sentence. The connection flared into brilliant life as her consciousness sank into his and every barrier fell away as if it had never been. She gasped into his mouth, shattered by the strength of his emotions as they pulsed around her. Feelings of warmth, pride, and protectiveness enfolded her spirit, soothing away her worry.

Max withdrew slowly, savoring every moment of the contact and the unique flavor of Liz, her warmth and innate goodness. He held onto the strength of their connection, leaving his heart bear to her touch, so that she wouldn't be able to doubt the truth of his next words.

"I love you, Liz." His fingers entwined and locked with hers, his voice was low and forceful. "Right now, that's all that matters. No matter what happens, I will not lose you again. Do you understand?"

Liz nodded, her eyes shining with tears and her lips offered a shaky smile.

"Alright, then," Max said and then turned to the others who were watching silently. "We'll meet at our place tomorrow night to figure out what our next move is. We should have something more to go on once Tess gets back, and we might as well get it all over with at once. Until then, we've got to stick together, keep to our normal routines, and no one goes out alone – stay in pairs at least. We don't know what's out there and until we do we need to be careful."

As everyone nodded, he looked from Liz to Maria.

"Okay," Maria said. Her blue eyes sparkled mischievously and she winked at Liz. "We'll get Mr. Parker to let us off an hour early. I'm sure Karen can cover for us."

"Good," said Max.

The bell sounded, signaling the end of their lunch break. Everyone got up from the table, ready to move on to their next classes.

Max stood, Liz's hand still tucked firmly in his own, but she held him back as the others began walking towards the door. She could feel his anxious worries as plainly as if they were her own.

"What is it?" she asked softly.

He sighed, resisting only for a moment, before giving into the feelings of comfort and support she offered so selflessly.

"I just don't know if I can be who they all need me to be. Who _you_ need me to be." He admitted his fears with an openness he only showed to Liz.

Liz's heart filled with an understanding that was all the deeper for sharing their new connection. Resolution pulsed through the link between them and she knew Max felt it as she said, "Okay, first of all, I don't need you to be anyone other than who you already are." Her brown eyes were filled with a truth that he trusted above all else. "And, secondly, we aren't counting on some myth or legend. We're counting on _you_.

And you can't be anyone other than who you already are and no one is asking you to be. We need you to trust yourself, Max. You were born a king, but you've learned to be a leader, and you will make the choices you have to because there is no other option.

Michael, Isabel, Maria, Alex… me, we're with you. Right or wrong, good or bad, we stick together. And I'm going to be there, Max, right beside you, all the way."

"Thank you," Max whispered into her hair as he pulled her into a tight hug.

"You're welcome," she whispered back.

They let each other go and Max waited until Liz had gathered her books before putting his arm around her shoulders as she slipped hers around his waist.

Together, they walked to where the others waited.

(***)

Kyle Valenti watched as they turned and went into the school together. Knowing the truth about Evans and Guerin still boggled his mind – and made him a little uncomfortable with confronting the whole group to talk to one member.

He could see that it was serious between Max and Liz, it was obvious to anyone who really looked at them, and Kyle didn't want Max to think that he was challenging him or anything. What he'd had with Liz was over and he was okay with that now – even a little relieved.

Liz had always been different, it was one of the things that had attracted Kyle to her in the first place, but he'd known from the first time they'd kissed that they didn't really share the connection they were both looking for.

That she was with Max now made sense to Kyle, almost more sense than his pride wanted to admit sometimes. Plus Liz had been really decent about giving Kyle the time and space to move on and he felt the rightness of just being friends with her.

That's why he wanted to talk to Liz alone, without the rest of the Pod Squad around. He trusted her the most, and if anyone would understand what was going on with him, it was Liz, for sure.

It was weird but ever since Max had healed him, he'd been having these strange dreams. It was all really confusing and he was starting to feel like he didn't understand anything anymore.

_Geez_, he thought, _how did my life get so complicated?_

He'd even gone to the public library in an attempt to figure things out on his own. He'd asked the librarian where in the decimal system thingy he could find the meaning of life. She'd looked at him strangely, pointed him to the "World Religions" section. Most of the books were over his head, but then he'd found one called "Buddhism for Beginners" that looked like it made sense, so he'd checked it out.

The warning bell rang and he shook his head. Anyway, he figured he'd call Liz later or something. He had to get to class or Mr. Henderson would probably talk to Coach. One more tardy and he'd be stuck with an extra ten laps at practice. Coach didn't believe in letting grades slide just 'cause you were an athlete.

With one last strange look at the now empty doorway, Kyle turned and double-timed it down the hall.

(***)

He stood in the cramped motel bathroom, the late afternoon sun streaking through half-curtained windows, and stared at the pale alien features of his human face in the dingy mirror. He turned to the side and touched his jawline gingerly before peeling away a long, dry layer of skin.

_These husks are falling apart faster than we anticipated_, he thought sourly.

His head snapped up when he heard the shrill sound of the antique rotary phone ringing on the bedside table. He quickly set aside the lotion he had been squeezing out of its big 'buy in bulk' bottle and hurried to snatch up the handset.

Speaking firmly into the receiver, he identified himself, "This is Davis."

"Verify," came a cold, hard response from the other end of the line and it sent an icy shiver of fear down his spine. He knew this voice.

"Anann cuia Kivar aran en' Antar," he said quietly, repeating a creed of loyalty he'd vowed to defend with his very life.

There was a momentary pause before the reply came and the voice took on an eerie false note of cheer, "Davis, my old friend. You can't imagine how surprised I was to get the report that you found them. I suppose I should say congratulations, or something along those lines, but really it was only a matter of time, right?"

"Nicholas," Davis said cautiously, feeling one eye begin to twitch in a nervous tic that he knew looked very unattractive on the face of this adolescent husk, "I didn't expect your call. Where is Elisha? He was my contact for this sweep."

"Elisha… well, let's just say, I had to let him go," Nicholas said slyly, chuckling in appreciation of his own wit. Davis could hear the hint of smug satisfaction in his tone. "He'd served his purpose. So, I'll be taking command from here. I'm assuming you have a location scouted out that is both local and secure?"

"Yes, general," Davis said immediately, but his mind was still reeling in shock. Elijah had been one of his oldest associates on this hostile rock of a planet, not just an ally but a friend as well, and Nicholas had just admitted to his murder. He clamped down hard on the feelings of hatred and betrayal he had always harbored for the megalomaniacal prick and concentrated on keeping his voice neutral, for his own survival, as he said, "There is an abandoned textile mill in Melena off Highway 70, it's not far and it's isolated."

"Hmm…" Nicholas said, "Well, that's all there is for now then, I guess. Keep an eye on them. Observation only. We need more intel, so get it. I've been delayed in New York by some unexpected new developments but I'll be arriving there in person in two days. And Davis… don't disappoint me."

"Yes, sir," Davis said quickly as he heard the line go dead.

(***)

"Just focus on 'nudging' the molecules. It's all about a delicate touch," Isabel said patiently, then sat back and watched as Michael attempted to, yet again, turn the white blackfoot daisy to a different color.

Michael growled as the delicate petals turned to ash beneath his fingertips, for the twelfth time.

Isabel took a deep breath and glanced around her mother's garden, thankful there were so many flowers this time of year that she wouldn't notice the small cluster behind the retaining wall that was down to its last five blooms – and surrounded by mysterious little piles of soot.

"I can't do it, Izzy," Michael said angrily, running both hands through his hair in frustration before clasping them tightly behind his neck and grunting, "This is stupid. I don't even know what I was thinking! You and Max are the ones who can do this kind of crap, I'm just the hammer when something needs smashing, ya know?"

"You were thinking you need to get some kind of control over your powers. And you were right," Isabel said firmly, "It takes time and practice. You _can_ do this, Michael. Now, try again, only this time try to focus on something that makes you feel calm, a memory or a thought, whatever it is that centers your concentration. Just remember to focus and let the energy out nice and easy."

Michael sighed and glanced up at the last rays of the setting sun as they painted the sky in colors of orange, red, purple and pink.

Max stood off to the side with Alex, both of them watching as Isabel and Michael worked together but trying not to interfere.

Max bet that everyone there knew exactly what, or rather who, Michael was thinking about when his expression suddenly smoothed and he closed his eyes, looking more peaceful than Max could remember him ever being before.

Max, Alex and Isabel watched in amazement as Michael took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his eyes still closed, as the flower slowly changed under his fingertips. The brilliant white petals bled out into a soft coral pink and the yellow center took on a dusky brown hue.

Michael sighed, obviously bracing himself for another disappointment, and opened his eyes.

He let out a whoop of triumph and glanced at Isabel who was grinning from ear to ear as she hugged him in congratulations.

"A few more like that and you'll have it locked down in no time," Max said smiling and walking forward.

"Yeah, well, it's a start at least," Michael said, before he reached over and picked the newly dyed flower.

"Yeah, it's a start," Max said, looking at the flower in Michael's hand, quirking an eyebrow in question.

Michael frowned and said hastily, "Your mom might think it was weird that the flower's the wrong color or something... And, anyway, I figure I'll give it to Maria tonight when I go over to her place after Amy goes to sleep. We still didn't know what's really out there waiting for us and I'm not taking any chances. There's no way she's sleeping alone tonight. But I figure she might have objections, 'cause she never does things the easy way, so I'll bring the flower… you know, to soften her up."

Max gave Michael a look that said _'yeah right'_ and opened his mouth to rib his best friend a little on how much he'd changed in the one day since he and Maria had made up, when he thought the better of it. Michael was finally starting to open up and he didn't want to make him regret the decision in any way. Maria was good for him and deserved whatever gestures Michael was able to make.

He noticed Isabel and Alex exchange quick smiles but stayed silent too.

So, instead of poking fun, Max just nodded and said, "The girls should be done with their shifts soon anyway. You go ahead; I promised Liz I'd grab a few things for her first, so I'll catch up with you. Besides, the faster you get there, the sooner you can talk her around to your way of thinking."

Michael smirked at the thought and said, "Right. I'll see you guys later."

They watched as Michael walked away, throwing a wave over his shoulder in their general direction before disappearing around the corner.

Max walked back into the house, leaving Isabel and Alex to enjoy some time alone together, a small smile playing around his lips. They still had so much to learn and no idea what they were really facing now, but Iz, Michael and he were finally happy. All thanks to three special human beings who loved and accepted them unconditionally. And Max knew he, his sister, and his best friend would do whatever it took to hold onto them, no matter what.

His thoughts turned to Liz as he walked into his room and pulled out a few of his t-shirts, intending to bring them to her like she'd asked him too, when Max felt a wave of longing that took his breath away. He'd spoken to Liz about it earlier but they hadn't really had a chance to talk about the side-effects of their new bond; the new need to be in physical contact as often as they could manage it. Max knew it scared Liz a little, but he didn't mind at all. The idea of spending the rest of his life touching Liz Parker sounded great to him.

Max smiled as he realized she was probably completely off her shift by now and they could spend some real time together.

He was still getting ready to leave the house when a sudden spike of fear that wasn't his own stabbed through his heart. His knees buckled as his hand clutched his chest and he felt his heartbeat race from the sudden surge of adrenaline, his face blanching white.

The t-shirts slid from his numb fingers, forgotten in the moment.

_Liz._

Without a word, Max took off, bursting out the front door and racing down the street at a dead sprint toward the Crashdown.

(***)

Liz walked into her bedroom, a fluffy, green towel wrapped loosely around her body, and opened a dresser drawer. A long, hot shower was just what she'd needed after managing the dinner rush in the café tonight. She rolled her head to loosen up neck muscles that were cramped from bending over take orders for the last few hours. Her warm brown eyes closed as she leaned into the stretch and groaned with relief.

She sighed softly as she felt another wave of longing, recognizing the feeling for what it was. Ever since she and Max had made this new, more intimate connection with each other, she'd begun experiencing an intense need for him when he wasn't there. It was a craving Liz knew he felt too. It wasn't so bad when she could distract herself during the day, but she already theorized that settling down to sleep would be something else entirely. Maybe she should try to get in some extra study time instead.

The fluffy, green towel dropped to the floor and she started to pull out her favorite pajama set when she heard the startled shout behind her. "Geez, Liz! What the heck!"

She screamed and whipped around, snatching up the towel to shield herself, as a sudden surge of terror swept through her. She felt the bond flare wide and suddenly it was as if Max was right beside her. An answering wave of alarm came crashing back along their connection, but she didn't have any time to respond as she struggled to calm her own pounding heart and took a deep, relieved breath when she realized who was on the other side of her window.

Kyle Valenti stood outside her windowsill, his eyes covered with both hands, looking for all the world like he was five years old. "Can I look now? Are you decent?"

"No!" Liz exclaimed, unfreezing enough to snatch the clothes from the drawer and hastily pull on the light cotton t-shirt and pant set that had been a gift from her grandma. They were cream colored with little blue flowers all over them.

She pulled her hair into a hasty ponytail and glanced around quickly to see that everything was as it should be before she allowed her legs to collapse and abruptly sat in the chair across from her bed. She took a few more deep breaths before saying, "It's alright, Kyle. You can look now."

Kyle pulled his hands down from his face, peeking through his fingers as if he didn't quite believe her, before letting them drop completely. His cheeks were red and his eyes apologetic as he said, "I'm so sorry, Liz. I didn't mean to just barge in on you like that. Well, I sort of did, since I obviously climbed up the fire-escape, but I didn't mean to invade your privacy like _that_. And the Buddha says the secret of happiness lies in the mind's release from worldly ties, so I'm trying to give up that kind of thing for now anyway and…"

"Kyle, stop," Liz interrupted swiftly, holding up her hand to cut him off. She _really_ didn't want to know where that train of thought was headed and she was already having a hard time not smacking him for scaring her so badly.

"Okay," he said suddenly, snapping his mouth shut and looking around uncomfortably. He took a sudden seat on the window ledge, his legs dangling over into her room. His expression was darn close to that of a wounded puppy.

Liz sighed, feeling a little guilty for snapping at him. She tried to sound a little more reassuring when she said, "It's alright. So, what's on your mind?"

Kyle hesitated for a moment before he sighed, his shoulders drooping. "I don't know how to explain it, Liz, but I figured if anyone would understand it's you. It's all so confusing. Ever since Max healed me I haven't felt quite _right_, you know? And I've been having these dreams…"

Liz's eyes filled with sympathy for her former boyfriend. She knew exactly what he was feeling. The shock and suddenly different perspective after everything you thought was impossible suddenly became real. It made you question things you always thought you just _knew_.

"What dreams?" she asked quietly.

"It's the same thing over and over," he said, his voice halting, "I'm in this room. It's dark, but there's a dim light coming from the far wall and I see a pattern that's kind of glowing. It's four dots, they make a square, only the one on the bottom left is sort of pulsing. Then the light gets brighter, only it's not white anymore, it's blue, and there are these symbols that start flashing by. I don't understand what they mean but I know they mean _something_. And I'm supposed to go there, Liz. Wherever that blue room is, that's where I'm supposed to be. Do you know where it is? Do you know anything about what I'm seeing or am I just going crazy?" His voice took on a desperate edge as he looked at her searchingly.

"It's okay, Kyle," Liz said quickly, "You're not crazy. I know some of what you're seeing and I'm sure Max and the others can help with the rest." She stood and crossed the room. She took his hands and pulled him to his feet, holding his eyes with her own, she willed him to believe her.

"I don't know what I'm doing anymore, Liz. I feel like the world is tipped upside down. Buddha says a man centered in loving kindness dies free of fear and confusion, and I'm trying to stay centered here. I'm really trying. But I can't help but feel like this is a little more than I can handle, Liz. Like maybe I'm not really meant to be here at all. Maybe I was meant to die that day. Maybe it's unnatural that I'm even alive right now… I just don't know." Kyle shook his head, his fingers tightening on hers.

"No, Kyle!" Liz exclaimed. "I don't believe that and neither do you, not really. And you're not the only one Max has saved. Do you think that he was wrong to save me? Do you think I shouldn't be alive anymore either? Because I'd be dead right now if not for him."

"I didn't mean that, Liz," Kyle said, his eyes widening as the idea of a world without Liz Parker occurred to him and made his blood run cold. She meant so much too so many people he couldn't imagine her not being there. "Max saving you was the best thing he's ever done."

Liz sighed and wrapped her arms around the other boy, trying to offer some comfort. "Saving you was too." She felt his arms come around her and squeeze her tight as they just held each other for a moment.

Liz felt him before she saw him. The sudden rush of fear and love alerted her to his presence outside her window and she gasped, looking up.

Her gaze clashed with Max's. She watched as the fear drained away and was replaced by something else when he saw her standing in the circle of Kyle's arms.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

**A/N: R&R is always appreciated. So, press the little blue button… :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Title**: Revelations (part 9)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M) (AR)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22, which makes it AR. It's Roswell post S1 as I think it __**should**__ have happened. Hope you Enjoy!_

_I'm really sorry for the delay on this update! :( My new job is nuts right now – the big learning curve and two weeks of OT have taken a HUGE chunk out of my available time to write. Anyway, I've been working on this chapter since last night and am posting it __un-beta'ed__ because I'm trying to assuage my own guilt here. So, if there are any glaring mistakes let me know, I'll try to fix them asap, and mea culpa._

_I've finally resigned myself to the fact that this story will take longer to complete then I originally thought. And some of you have asked if I'm really going to finish this one – the answer is "yes", I promise to stick with it until it's done. The updates might be a little more scattered than I want, but please stick with me, I promise I won't quit._

_I'm working on Ch 10 right now. Hopefully, I can get it off to my wonderful beta, Tay, before I drop from exhaustion tonight. Please review, even if I wasn't able to reply to your last, know that I appreciate it so much every time you take the time to let me know what you think!_

_Okay, I'll shut up now. On with the show!..._

* * *

><p>Max's hazel eyes met Liz's startled brown through the clear glass. His eyes quickly traveled over her frozen form, barely registering that she was holding onto her ex-boyfriend, and instead focusing on the fact that he couldn't see any obvious injuries. Relief crashed through him and the constriction in his chest eased. He sighed. Liz was okay.<p>

He stepped over the window pane and into the room. Liz pulled away from Kyle just as the other boy realized that Max had arrived. Liz smiled slightly at the surprised look on Kyle's face as she stepped forward to meet Max.

"Max," she said softly.

"What happened? Are you alright?" Max asked, his brow furrowed with worry.

"I'm fine," Liz said, "It was just a misunderstanding. Max, Kyle needs to talk to us. We've got a bit of a Czechoslovakian problem here."

Max's brow rose but he nodded and reached for Liz's hand. Her fingers entwined with his and he closed his eyes for a moment. She knew he was assessing her feelings and deliberately sent a pulse of reassurance and love down their bond. He smiled as he opened his eyes and briefly squeezed her fingers in response.

"So, what's going on, Kyle?" Max asked.

"Okaaaay…. Well, um," Kyle drew out uncertainly, glancing back and forth between Max and Liz. Liz just nodded her encouragement but stayed silent. He could either trust Max or not. She wouldn't push him either way.

Kyle hesitated for another second then shrugged, sat down on the bed and began to tell Max everything. He explained about the dreams, with the strange room and lights and symbols… and exactly how freaked out he was by the whole thing. On that point he made sure to spare no details.

Max just listened until Kyle fell silent.

"So, what do you think, Max?" Liz turned to look into his eyes.

"Well," Max said slowly, "he's obviously seeing the pod chamber. And the symbols sound like what we all saw when we healed Michael with the stones in the cave with Riverdog."

"Pod chamber?" Kyle exclaimed, "What, like some sort of alien hatching ground or something? I thought that kind of thing was just in the movies, man."

"No, it's not just in the movies, Kyle." Max said, "And it's exactly like some sort of alien hatching ground. It's were Michael, Isabel, Tess and I were born on this planet." Max turned to Liz. "We'll have to talk to the others before we bring him any farther into this. We can't just make decisions about things this big without them."

"I know," Liz said, "That's why I told Kyle to talk to you. But, Max, he is one of us now. You healed him and now he's a part of this, whether the others acknowledge it or not."

"I know, Liz. I know." Max look at Kyle with something like an apology in his eyes.

"Whatever, man. I just need to get to this 'pod chamber' or whatever you call it. If you can take me there, great; and if you can't, I'll just find it on my own somehow. Either way, I'm going." Kyle's expression was pure stubbornness. Liz just sighed and shrugged when Max looked her way.

"Alright, Kyle. Let's talk to the others and I'll see what I can do about getting you there without there being any issue. I don't understand why you're dreaming about it at all, but I'm curious enough to want to show it to you anyway," said Max.

Suddenly, the door opened and Nancy Parker stood in the threshold with a startled look on her face.

"Mom!" Liz exclaimed.

Nancy took one look around the room and said firmly, "Oh, no, young lady. Not on my watch."

"Mom…" Liz began in a 'let's be reasonable' tone, only to swallow what she was about to say when her mother sliced her a look that clearly said 'not one more word, or else..'.

Nancy looked at both of the young men standing in her teenage daughter's room in the middle of the night and swiftly pointed at the door. "Out."

Not one word was spoken as both of the guys made for the door immediately. A pissed off mother was pretty high on the list of 'not to be screwed with' in the minds of most teenage boys. Only Max dared to glance back over his shoulder. Liz clearly understood what he didn't say with words – he'd be back later that night. She smiled slightly in response, the tension leaving her shoulders with that new reassurance. Then he disappeared down the hall with Kyle.

"Liz, what were you thinking!" Nancy began, "I heard a shout and came to see what was going on and find two boys in your room, with the door closed, at night! I thought we could trust you to be more responsible than this."

"Mom, I'm sorry, it's just…" Liz stumbled, searching for the right words. She didn't want to lie to her mother, but she couldn't exactly tell her the whole truth.

"Just what…? Just that you have no explanation for this at all? Don't you have any respect for the home that your father and I work so hard to provide for you?"

"Mom, no! That's not it at all!" Liz was shocked that her mother would feel that way. She couldn't exactly explain what was happening between her and Max. That would totally freak her parents out – and they'd probably forbid her to ever see Max again – but she didn't want her mother to feel like her daughter didn't care how her parents felt at all. This was going to take some immediate damage control on Liz's part. She decided to start with as much of the truth as she could.

"Look, this was all about Kyle. He's been having some issues lately; actually it's more like he's been having major problems. He can't talk to his dad about it, 'cause he doesn't want him to worry or freak out, and it's been really hard on him."

Liz could tell her words were making an impact when her mother got that little worried frown that said she was concerned and trying to hide it, so she kept going.

"I know we haven't really been talking much lately, but he's my friend, Mom. He didn't have anyone else to turn too, so he came over tonight to talk to me. He climbed up the fire escape and I invited him in. I know I shouldn't have, but he was really upset and I just wanted to try to help him out if I could."

Nancy bit her lip and shook her head with a sigh. "Liz…"

"I know, but I had to," Liz said quickly, forestalling the lecture she knew was coming, "And I called Max." That was the truth, even though she hadn't called him exactly the way her mother would think. "I called him and he came over. He's been through some stuff that's a bit like what Kyle is dealing with right now, so I thought he could help. He came in through the window too. I know I should have told you and Daddy what was going on, but it just happened so fast, it didn't cross my mind. I'm really sorry, Mom. It won't happen again." That last part was a lie and something in Liz cringed to tell it, but it had to be said. There was no way her mom would leave her alone if she didn't make that promise.

"Okay, honey," Nancy sighed in defeat after a long moment of indecision. It was like all the anger and hurt drained out of her in a rush, leaving behind only rueful acceptance. "I trust you. And your father does to. So, I'm going to let this one go… as long as you promise me it'll never happen again."

"I promise," Liz said swiftly, mentally crossing her fingers with a hidden wince.

"All right," said Nancy, "But if either your father or I catch boys in your room again, you're grounded for life. I mean it. Parolees with ankle bracelets will have it easier than you will."

"Okay, okay. I get it." Liz said quickly.

"Good," Nancy said as she walked forward to give her baby girl a big hug. "Remember, it's for your own good. We're here to take care of you and protect you. And we'll do whatever it takes to do what's best for you, honey. No matter what."

"I know, Mom," Liz said, squeezing her mother close and trying to shove back some of the guilt, "I love you."

"I love you too, baby," Nancy whispered into her daughter's hair. Then she let go with a final squeeze. "Now, get some of that homework done. I know you've got a few finals left and you should be studying."

"You're right," Liz said, picking up one of the pencils at her desk and making a show of cracking open her Trig textbook.

"Night, honey." Nancy smiled, walking out the door.

"Night," Liz called back. When the bedroom door closed, Liz laid her head down on her folded arms and groaned. She was officially a horrible daughter. She just sat there for several long minutes, wallowing in the guilt.

A tap at the window brought her head up. It was Max.

She went over to the windowpane and leaned against the frame, amazed at how just looking at him made her feel like everything was going to be all right.

"Hey." Max smiled softly.

"Hey," she said in reply, her lips curling in an involuntary smile as her eyes filled with tears. Her heart felt like it was being pulled in two different directions at once. She was so scared that one day she would have to make a choice between her family and Max… that what happened tonight was just the beginning of a path that would inevitably lead to a crossroads that she didn't want to face.

Concern was immediately written all over Max's face. "What's wrong?"

"I lied to my mom, Max," Liz's voice broke a little over the words.

Max's heart swelled with the need to take the hurt away and an understanding of exactly what Liz was feeling right now. He felt exactly the same way whenever he had to lie to his parents to hide his and Izzy's secret. It felt like he was betraying them somehow. He didn't want Liz to ever feel that way.

"What exactly did you tell her?" Max asked softly.

Liz spoke in a rush. "I said that Kyle was having problems and that he needed to talk and I called you to help… and that was technically the truth. But then I had to promise her that it would never happen again, that I would never have another boy in my room. And that was a whopper of a lie, Max." Liz smiled ruefully through the tears. "I need you with me right now. It just feels so wrong when you're not there, and I don't know why. It's like I'm losing my ability to stand alone. It's really scaring me, but there it is."

"Me too," Max said, "I know it's not normal, but I promise, Liz, we'll figure this out. Together. It's going to be okay."

"I know, Max. I just hate lying to them. It feels so wrong."

"Well, let's see… you promised your mom that you wouldn't have guys in your room again, right?"

"Yeah," Liz said, with a little hiccup, wondering where Max was going with this.

"Okay, well that's not a hard promise to keep," Max said with a smile.

"What are you saying, Max?" Liz asked, feeling a little spike of worry.

"Grab a couple of pillows and the blanket and bring them out here." Max stood up from his crouch and walked over to patio lounge chair on the open balcony. "It's a really nice night. It'll be like camping, only without the tent."

Liz's smile blossomed like the sun breaking through the clouds and Max's heart skipped a beat when he saw the absolute love shining in her dark brown eyes. Her laugh floated out through the night as she did exactly what he said, snatching the pillows and comforter off her bed and shoving them out the window. Max made a quick grab for the whole bundle before they could hit the roof and grunted when her body collided with his as she lunged out the window behind them, wrapping the pillows, blanket and Max in a tight embrace and tumbling them back onto the sprawling chair.

Her mouth settled on his in a passionate kiss that shattered his soul and he pushed the pillows and blanket to the side quickly, not caring about any of it getting dirty anymore, as he gathered her close. In a rush that was becoming more familiar by the day, the bond between them flared wide and he basked in the glow of her complete love and trust. She was perfect, his whole world, and he would never let her go again.

Reluctantly, he broke away from her mouth and grinned at her moue of disappointment, making sure to hold her close with one arm as the other reached over to prop the discarded pillows behind his head and broad shoulders. He leaned back into the reclined lounge chair and pulled her firmly against his body until she cuddled alongside him, her head lay on his chest, her arm over his torso, her leg thrown over both of his. She shivered and hugged him tight. He pulled the blanket over the both of them and tucked it around her to keep her warm.

Liz rubbed her nose lightly along his pectoral and ran her hand along his side, slipping it under his t-shirt to be in contact with Max, skin to skin. She loved the way his muscles jumped when she ran her fingers over them. He retaliated by sliding his hand down her back and over her jeans. She squeaked, startled, when he gripped her ass and pulled her more firmly to him.

Liz smiled when she felt his laughter rumble under her ear.

"Go to sleep, Liz," Max said quietly, "I'm trying to be good here and you're not making it easy."

She sighed as she settled into him. Surrounded by the smell and feel of Max, the connection between them like a cocoon of warmth and love around her heart, she fell asleep in his arms knowing this was where she belonged.

(***)

"Oh, for God's sake!"

Amy's exclamation of exasperated surprise woke Michael out of a dead sleep.

He groaned and buried his face in the pillow, pulling Maria in closer as he tried to ignore the screeching banshee, who was in all likelihood his future mother-in-law.

"Maria!"

"What?" came the groggy response from somewhere under his armpit and a mound of blankets.

"Get up!" Amy shrieked, "I want to see you in the kitchen, young lady. Right now!"

"Okay, okay!" came the disembodied, disgruntled reply.

He heard Amy march out of the room and down the hall. Michael cracked an eye open just as a blonde head popped up with an adorable scowl.

"Don't say a word," she warned.

He opened his mouth just to mess with her, an unfamiliar, teasing glint in his eye.

Her finger came up. "Not. One. Word."

He shut his mouth with a half-assed grin. Some things you just didn't mess with, like nuclear reactors, rabid grizzly bears, and Maria before her first cup of Chai Tea in the morning.

Michael watched with interest as she rolled out of bed and snatched some clothes from her dresser, hopping a little as she pulled on a pair of jeans and a very fitted tank top, muttering darkly to herself the entire while. He linked his fingers behind his head and decided he really enjoyed the view.

His own jeans had stayed on the entire night, but his t-shirt was hanging haphazardly over the back of one of her chairs. He struggled to keep the emotion off his face when she finally looked at him and her expression calmed. Her eyes filled with love when she cocked her head to the side and walked toward him. Neither of them said a word when she leaned down and lightly kissed him. They didn't have to.

The bond between them pulsed with desire and acceptance, it was warm and comforting – and Michael struggled to accept it without pushing her away again. He wanted her so badly it scared him shitless. Losing her would break him, and he'd never had any luck with keeping anything he wanted this much safe before. He'd always found a way to ruin everything he touched. Michael clamped down on those fears as he gripped Maria's hand tightly in his.

Maria felt his internal struggle as clearly as she felt her own fear that he would run again and leave her behind. She reached for the warmth of the love she felt flaring just as strongly as the anxiety and concentrated on the solid knowledge that she loved him and he loved her, whatever else might happen. She needed to be the rock that he could lean on and she wouldn't fail him now.

"It's okay, Michael. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere," she whispered against his lips before she pulled away and looked into his bright, blue eyes. "…except into the kitchen to face my mother's wrath. And I'm not facing it alone. So, put your shirt on and get your butt out there in five minutes."

(***)

Isabel laughed and Alex just stared at one his best friends in disbelief. They were about to take their 3rd period final for US Government and all he could do was gape at one Maria DeLuca, who they'd both noticed was wearing a familiar pink flower tucked behind one ear.

"And what did she say then?" he finally asked.

"Well, what else could she say?" Maria asked with what she hoped was an air of world-weary sophistication when Isabel raised an eyebrow in amusement. "I mean, one of the benefits of one's mother being an ex-hippie is that there's not much you can do that she hasn't already done before. And my mom hates hypocrites. I just pointed out that Michael and I weren't actually _doing_ anything she had a problem with and it's really not that big a deal. Besides, mom and I have a standing agreement that as long as I'm under her roof I follow her rules, and I'm going to stick to it."

"That's it? She's okay with you sleeping with Michael, in your bed, as long as all you're both doing is sleeping?" Alex looked at Isabel with a hopeful expression. Maybe…

"Don't even think about it," Isabel said, leaning over to kiss him when he drooped with disappointment.

"Well, that wasn't all she said exactly…" Maria admitted, twisting her name pendant necklace in her fingers. "She said she was bringing in a cot from the shed and Michael could sleep in my room as long as he stayed where she put him, and if he put one toe out of line, she'd take it off."

Isabel laughed even harder as she asked, "What did Michael say?"

"He didn't say anything. He just grunted and kept eating his pancakes." Maria grinned.

Isabel shook her head and said, "That sounds like Michael."

Suddenly the classroom door opened as Mr. Hansen hurried in with an armload of papers and a mug of steaming coffee.

"Alright class," he said with forced cheerfulness, running quick fingers over his head to check that his comb-over was still in place, "Today's the US Government final, so I hope you've all prepared for the test and gone over the review questions. The essay question will be on FDR and the New Deal. So, put your notes away and get out your pencils."

Isabel and Maria shared a quick look of mutual dread, while Alex just looked interested, before they each took a stapled exam off the top of each pile being passed back down the rows of desks.

When each student had a test in hand, Mr. Hansen glanced at the clock and announced, "Begin."

(***)

Liz sat in the quad during her one and only free period of the school day, luckily for her it was the last period of the day.

She'd picked a shaded table on the far side of the open area to get some peace and quiet so she could concentrate on getting some real studying in. She was glad to have the time, especially after everyone had gathered again at Alex's locker earlier that afternoon to review the evening's plan.

Maria would be dropping Isabel and Alex off at the Evans' house before Michael and she went straight to the Crashdown because Liz, Maria and Michael's shift started almost right after school today. Max had decided to wait at the Crashdown for the three of them to finish their shift, so he would be driving Liz after school. Isabel would inform her parents that everyone was coming over for a late-night study session to cram for finals after they all got off work – not that they would _actually_ get any studying done or anything.

It was just an excuse to crowd the whole group into Max's room so they could talk about what they were going to do next. They might have a man on the inside of the Special Unit now, but the dangers were still out there, hunting them. So, Isabel and Alex would be waiting for them all at the Evans' house.

No doubt, they wanted a little time to themselves before everyone started showing up. Not that Liz could blame them. She'd been thinking the same thing about Max and herself all day. She smiled at the thought of seeing him again in another hour then settled in to focus on the task at hand.

She pulled her hair back into a neat ponytail, tucking an extra pencil behind her ear, before she cracked open her Ethics textbook. She was getting behind on Mr. Jenkins' study guide for the class. It was a good thing she took detailed notes.

_Okay_, she thought, flipping to Chapter 20 and glancing at the practice questions, _it can't be too hard to catch up. Besides, when in doubt, just present the most logical argument possible._ If it worked with her father, it should work with Aristotle. At least, she hoped so. It was a hypothesis, anyway.

She started to tap her pencil on the table in between jotting down her thoughts for questions like _"What is the highest good?"_ and _"What is the definition of virtue?"_, a little frown of concentration developing between her dark brows.

After the first few minutes, she was so absorbed in study; it took her a moment to realize someone was calling her name.

"Liz?"

Liz looked up to find Pam Lewis, fellow member and Vice President of the Science Club standing across the table from her.

"Studying for finals?" the blonde asked, smiling.

"Ethics," Liz said with a grin.

Pam groaned in sympathy before saying quickly, "Hey, I wanted to talk to you really quickly about something. Can I have a seat for a second?"

"Sure," Liz said. She reached forward to move her backpack and clear a space.

Her hand came into direct contact with the table for the first time since she'd sat down.

Liz staggered under an overwhelming onslaught of emotion. Feelings of intense malice and hatred threatened to crush her under their incredible weight.

Images flooded her mind.

**Flash**. _A black orb with blinking triangles that formed a perfect hexagon._ **Flash**. _A grey sky streaked with lightening. _**Flash**. _An image of a young man's face twisted in a cruel smile._ Fear flooded through Liz when she saw his face. This boy was pure evil. She didn't know how she knew that, but she did. **Flash**. _Max, Liz, Isabel and Alex sitting at their table in the quad eating lunch and laughing._ **Flash**. _The same young man as before standing with a triumphant smile, his glowing hand outstretched toward Michael, who was on the ground, his mouth grimacing in pain and blood coming from under the hand he was pressing to his side._

"Liz? Liz!" A hand shaking her shoulder broke Liz out of the visions.

Liz looked up into Pam's concerned eyes.

"Are you okay? You're really pale," the girl said, "Do you need to go to the nurse's office?"

"No," Liz said, her voice shaky, "I'm okay." Her mind cast about for a believable excuse, because she definitely couldn't let Pam know what had really just happened. She needed Max. As suddenly as she thought his name, he was there inside her.

Their connection had opened wide and she felt his alarm and concern for her. She concentrated on sending him feelings of reassurance in spite of the cold knot of fear still coiled in her belly. She didn't want him to get into trouble for running out of class to get to her.

So, she focused on sending him calm emotions as she glanced at the outdoor clock above the door leading back into the school. Only ten minutes until the bell rang. She could hold on for ten minutes.

She looked back at Pam and realized she needed to say something more.

"Um, I think I'm just dehydrated. I got a little dizzy. Too much sun or something," Liz said to the other girl.

Pam looked confused for a second as she looked up at the table umbrella over their heads and the circle of perfect shade around the table. Then she shrugged, obviously willing to let the matter drop in favor of whatever she had come over for in the first place.

Pam dug around in her bag and pulled out a bottled water. "Well, here, you should drink this then."

She eyed Liz, until the dark-haired girl unscrewed the top and obediently took a few sips.

"Anyway," Pam said, "You know Marty's graduating this year, so that means his position in the Science Club will be open next year…"

Liz tried to pay attention as Pam started talking about votes and dedication to the pursuit of scientific truth but her eyes kept straying to the clock, counting the seconds as it ticked down.

_Come on_, she thought. _Ring_.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

**A/N: R&R is always appreciated. So, press the little blue button… :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Title**: Revelations (part 10)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M) (AR)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is starts at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22, and becomes AR after that. It's post S1 the way I thought it _should _have happened. Hope you Enjoy!_

_Okay, so this is where I break away entirely from the original story notes/type and start writing from scratch… Again, the plan is to eventually add a few S2/S3 characters and hold to some of the canon S2/S3 backstory (admittedly with a few large "tweeks"), rather than going in the direction I had originally plotted out back in Summer 2000. Let's see if I can keep this going *crosses fingers* _

_The Reviews really help the creative process, so keep 'em coming!_

_Okay, so here we go!..._

* * *

><p>Max waited impatiently in the parking lot after school for Liz to join him. He leaned against the hood of the Jeep as his mind flashed back to the sudden feeling of fear he'd felt through the connection Liz and he now shared. The only thing that had kept him in the gym during Coach Porter's reminder to hit the showers was the immediate feeling of reassurance that she'd sent him through the link.<p>

He wondered where she was, and was just about to go inside to find her, when he saw her coming through the doors of the school, talking to Pam Lewis. Now that he could see with his own eyes that she wasn't hurt, Max sighed with relief. Liz nodded to something Pam said and waved goodbye, obviously distracted.

Pam caught sight of him and nodded a quick greeting before turning away and heading to her car on the other side of the lot.

Max got into the driver's seat, started the engine, and watched as Liz slid into the passenger's side and arranged her backpack between her legs, under the dash. Max wondered for the millionth time how he had gotten so lucky that Liz Parker loved him.

She looked beautiful, as always, but he could see the tension in her shoulders and knew that whatever had scared her so badly was not over.

"Hey." Her voice was quiet as she looked over at him. A small lock of hair fell over her eyes as she put on her seat belt.

"Hey," he said softly. Max couldn't help satisfying the impulse to reach over to tuck the errant strand behind her ear, his fingers lingering for a moment to caress her cheek. Liz shivered slightly.

That brief moment of contact brought with it a sense of intense agitation and unease. Liz was really upset. All of Max's protective instincts went from alert into overdrive. Liz gave him a serious look, warning him with her eyes not to draw attention from the crowd of students leaving the school with a big reaction.

"So," Max scrambled for a neutral question, all the while wondering what was really going on, "What's up with Pam?"

Liz looked startled for a moment then said, "Nothing much. She just wanted to talk about next year's Science Club membership. She wants to be president and asked for my vote."

"Is she going to get it?"

"Sure," Liz said, "Pam's great and she's passionate about the field. I think she'll make a good leader."

Max took her hand as he asked, "Where to now?"

"Let's just get out of here for a while – out of town," Liz said and feelings of conflict increased along their bond, "Everyone else caught a ride with Maria and our shift doesn't start for another half hour so we have some time."

"Alright. The desert?" Max asked, worried about what could be frightening her so badly. They had so many problems to deal with right now, he couldn't even begin to guess.

Liz brought his attention back to her when she cocked her head to the side and said, "Yeah, the desert sounds perfect."

"Okay." Max kept her hand in his when he backed out and drove toward the highway.

He went about five miles out of town, still trying to feel out what was bothering Liz through their link – with her blocking his every attempt – when they reached an out-cropping of red rock that was one of Max's favorite places to go when he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts.

Max pulled off the road and brought the Jeep under the shade of the over-hanging rock before putting it into park and shutting off the engine.

Wasting no time, he turned to Liz and asked, "What's wrong, Liz?"

"I had a flash. I was in the quad and when I touched one of the tables, it hit me. Someone's here and it's definitely another alien. They were at the school watching us, Max," Liz said, softly.

"Are you sure?" Max asked.

His feeling of shock traveled down their link. This was the first time Liz had ever had a flash that wasn't caused by direct contact with a person and, since he didn't doubt that Liz was telling the truth, it meant their enemies had found them much earlier than anticipated.

"Yes," Liz said, "The flashes were all in black and white, just like when I was with Nesedo and he was pretending to be you. I saw what he saw. Some kind of orb, weird skies, us at lunch in the quad, and a face. It was someone else's face. I don't know who, but I got the feeling that whoever he was the alien I felt was really scared of him."

"Okay," Max said, focusing on staying calm, "What else?"

"There was another flash of the boy who's face I saw standing over Michael. But this flash felt different from the others," Liz frowned as she tried to describe a feeling that she didn't fully understand herself. "It was strange, it felt distant, like it was waiting to be. I think it was a vision of something that hasn't happened yet. Max… Michael was hurt and the other boy's hand was glowing." Liz looked up at him with wide, scared eyes. "I think he was about to kill Michael."

(***)

Isabel was in the middle of one of the greatest make out sessions of her life when the phone rang.

She moaned in protest as she pressed her lips more firmly to the mouth that was giving her so much pleasure. _Alex really is an incredible kisser_, Isabel thought to herself. She tried to ignore the shrill ringing and focus on the gentle hands that were leisurely exploring the skin they were exposing, inch by slow inch. Isabel sighed and nestled closer to the lean body stretched out next to hers.

On the fifteenth ring, she growled in frustration and reached out to whip the receiver to her ear. Alex groaned loudly and fell back onto her bed.

"What?" Isabel practically snarled into the phone.

She heard Alex chuckle and felt him take her hand in his own when she turned to look at him. He had on such a comically frustrated expression that she had to laugh.

"Isabel?" came an uncertain voice on the other end of the line.

"Yes," she said, a little more politely this time, "Who is this?"

"It's Tess."

Isabel sat up more fully, startled. "Oh. Um, hi. We weren't expecting to hear from you so soon. Did something go wrong? Are you okay? Did you meet with Nesado already?"

Alex sat up beside her, a worried, questioning look on his face. Isabel shook her head and indicated she'd fill him in in a minute. Tess said something on the other end of the line.

"What was that again? Sorry, I didn't quite catch it." Isabel turned as much of her attention as she could to the conversation with Alex sitting right next to her. He was always a distraction. Isabel didn't know if she would ever get used to _feeling_ his presence so intensely.

"I just said that Nesedo sent us a message that I'm bringing back with me. I'm arriving back in Roswell at eight o'clock tonight," Tess said again, "and I was wondering if you would come pick me up at the bus station?"

"Um, yeah. Sure," Isabel said haltingly. "Tonight. Eight. At the bus station. Got it."

"Thanks, Iz," Tess said, sounding relieved, "I would ask Max, since I know you're always busy, but things are kind of weird between us right now. I appreciate this, a lot."

"Yeah," came the quiet reply. "It's no problem."

"Okay," Tess said cheerfully, "So, I'll see you at eight."

"Yeah, eight," said Isabel and hung up the phone. She turned to Alex, who was waiting with a patient expression on his face.

"Tess?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Tess," she confirmed.

"Oh, boy," he said quietly. Alex moved to take her other hand, turning her to face him fully, before asking, "What did she say?"

"She has a message from Nesedo and she needs a ride from the bus station tonight at eight – the same time everyone is meeting up here at the house. We'll have to stop by the Crashdown on our way to the station to let the others know she's back in town." She paused for a second before continuing, "Alex, I don't know how I feel about her anymore."

"What do you mean?" Alex grew more concerned when he saw the distressed look on her face.

Isabel tightened her hands around his.

"I don't know. I just feel bad for her." Her look asked for his understanding. "I mean, she's all alone, except for Nesedo, and, let's face it, he's not exactly up for 'Father of the Year'. She needs us, she needs a family, and we're about to drop a bombshell on her."

"Izzy, Max is making a choice, same as we are," Alex said soothingly, "He's got that right and there's nothing anyone can say or do that is going to change that."

"I know, but I can't help feeling a little guilty going to pick her up, knowing what Max is going to say to her." Isabel sighed. "I like Liz and I love Max. And I'm happy that they're happy and in love... you know that, right?"

"Yeah." Alex reached out and gently cupped her face in his warm hands. "But you also feel bad for Tess."

He tilted her chin up so he could look into her beautiful brown eyes and widened the connection between them as far as he could, to let her feel him on the deepest level, as he said, "That's one of the things I love about you most, that you care so much, even when people don't see it. You're one of the most beautiful people I've ever known, Isabel, inside and out."

"Alex," Isabel whispered, tears coming to her eyes, "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Izzy," he said tenderly while deepening their mental bond.

They leaned in and kissed each other softly, the connection between them flaring brightly. It wasn't a kiss of passion, though Isabel knew they would have more than their fair share of those, but a kiss of promise. A promise of the type of commitment that two people their age should probably know nothing about. But their situation was different. Really different.

When she leaned back to look into his eyes, Isabel was once again hit with a sense of wonder that he cared so much about her.

"You know… we've got another four hours and fifteen minutes before we have to pick her up." Alex paused to suggestively wiggle his eyebrows with a comic leer. "Wanna neck?"

Isabel was still laughing when their lips met and they fell back on the bed with their arms intertwined.

(***)

Maria DeLuca deposited the Plutonium Platter and two orange sodas in front of the couple in booth two with what she called her 'professional smile' before glancing at the clock again. She reached up to adjust her silver alien antenna headband into a more comfortable position and smooth down a stray strand of short blonde hair.

Max and Liz were late. The Crashdown Café's evening shift had started fifteen minutes ago.

Not that Maria minded on principle since they all covered for each other all the time; plus it looked like it was shaping up to be a slow start to the night anyway.

Karen, the other waitress who'd promised to cover for them the last hour of their shift in exchange for coming in late, and José, the other cook, were scheduled to arrive in another half hour; so Maria wasn't worried about getting slammed later.

It's just that, with everything that had happened lately, she figured they were all safer when they stuck together as a group.

It was like that special on the Discovery Channel she had seen last month, the one about the water buffalo. The herd walked around in a tight group so they could all keep an eye out for predators and watch each other's backs, like a 360° alarm system or something. The narrator had said it was all about safety in numbers.

And with everything Michael had said about the other aliens, who were probably out there right now looking for them, and the FBI's Special Unit still existing, Maria couldn't help feeling a little scared for all of them. She had a lot more sympathy for the plight of the water buffalo anyhow.

She dropped off a water with an extra napkin for the guy at table six and quickly took his order. Then she walked back to the window that was the pass through to the kitchen.

"I need one Unidentified Frying Object, sunny side up, and a side of Saturn Rings, babe," Maria said through the open frame to the hottest short-order cook the Crashdown had ever had.

"Got it," Michael said over his shoulder as he dumped a few more onion rings into the fry basket and cracked two eggs on the grill next to a pile of hashbrowns.

Maria watched, admiring the view from behind, as he quickly assembled the skillet and tossed the rings into another basket. He grinned when he set them on the shelf in front of her.

His spiky hair drooped a little from the steam in the kitchen and there were grease stains on his uniform, but Maria still thought he was totally adorable.

_Girl, you know you got it bad when… _she thought to herself with a rueful smile.

"Max and Liz still aren't here yet," Michael observed, looking out the glass, front double-doors of the café.

"Yeah, I know," Maria said. She knew Michael could feel her growing worry through the connection between them when he glanced over at her sharply.

"I'm sure they're fine," he said quietly, "They're probably just making out in the alley or something."

"Right," Maria said firmly. _See, there's absolutely nothing to worry about_, she thought to herself. _There's a perfectly reasonable explanation. Late for a shift doesn't always equal 'Kidnapped by the FBI' or 'Blasted into Pieces by Evil Aliens' or... Oh my God!_

The more she thought of the possible dangers out there, waiting around every corner to pounce on her best friend in the whole world, the more freaked out she got. Maria was totally starting to hyperventilate. She reached into her apron pocket and her hand closed around the vial of cedar oil she carried with her everywhere.

She pulled it out, ready to start huffing like a mad woman, when Michael suddenly leaned through the window, put a big, warm hand behind her neck, and pulled her into an earth-shattering kiss.

Maria's eyes closed as feelings of Michael's love and his determination to keep her safe wrapped around her, and the vial in her hand was forgotten completely. The connection flared wide between them and Maria was flooded with its intensity while she and Michael clung to each other. Her world narrowed to only him and the feeling of his lips on hers.

He held her firmly to him for a few more moments before releasing her, brushing his mouth softly against hers in a light parting kiss as he withdrew completely. Maria gripped the counter to steady herself and slowly opened her eyes.

"What was that for?" she asked, a little dazed.

"It's a rule or something," he said with a shrug.

"A rule?" Her tone was a little disbelieving, "What rule?"

Michael looked at her and shrugged as he held his palm over the upper-left corner of his apron. Maria watched as it glowed brightly for a moment, before he took his hand away and the words "**KISS THE COOK**" were revealed in bold red letters on the white cotton.

Maria snorted with barely contained laughter. She glanced around quickly to make sure no one had seen, before leaning forward and saying in an excited whisper, "Oh my God, Michael! When did you learn to do that? That's like totally amazing!"

"Isabel's been working with me. I need to learn better of control my powers, and she's pretty good at this kind of stuff, so she showed me a couple of little things the other day. It's no big deal," Michael said. He struggled not to let his face show how much Maria's praise meant to him, but she could feel how pleased he was with himself through the link that was still glowing with warm emotion from their kiss.

"Anyway…" But whatever Michael's next words would have been; they were cut short by Liz and Max's abrupt entrance through the door to the Crashdown's break room.

"Liz, oh my God, are you okay?" Maria exclaimed, the humor of the moment completely forgotten. "Where have you been?"

Liz was still buttoning up her alien-themed turquoise waitress uniform and hastily tying on the silver apron, when she said, "Maria, I'm _so_ sorry. I know I'm late. There's just something that happened…"

Maria froze, a sick feeling of dread gathering in her stomach, as the petite brunette looked her in the eye with an expression Maria recognized so well. Something was very wrong. Liz was never one to exaggerate the seriousness of any situation, that's why Maria knew this was definitely going to fall under the 'Things that turn Maria DeLuca into a Raving Basketcase' column.

Max confirmed this feeling when he looked straight at Michael and said, "We need to talk. I'm calling Isabel and Alex and telling them to come over right now."

"What's going on, Maxwell?" Michael asked, going to from cute boyfriend to grim second-in-command between one breath and the next.

"We should really talk about it when we're all together," Max said, his tone sounding deliberately too calm. "They should be able to get here soon."

Maria saw the way Max's eyes changed, showing a clear, fierce love, when he looked down at Liz and said, "We all need to just act normal until they get here. We can't raise any suspicions, especially now."

Liz nodded intently as Michael opened his mouth to object, "But…"

Max's head turned and he nailed Michael with a hard look. "No 'buts', Michael. We just need to wait until Iz and Alex get here."

Michael raised his hands in mock surrender, before saying caustically, "Okay, okay… whatever."

"Come on, you guys, don't fight," Liz said, her gaze moving anxiously from one boy to the other, "Anyway, Max is right. We should all be together when we talk about this. It's safer that way."

Maria took a deep breath and forced herself to stay calm, to trust her friend's judgment.

"Okay, then," she said, nodding her blonde head as if that settled the issue, "Well, 'normal' is getting table six his eggs before they go completely cold."

Michael pulled the dish to the other side of the counter, completely blocking anyone's view, before holding his hand over the skillet. His palm glowed briefly and there was a little sizzling sound. He picked up both dishes and handed them to Maria with a quirky grin.

"Thanks," she said, startled. But she couldn't help the answering smile that came to her lips.

She swore she'd never get used to the whole 'alien powers' thing, but it came along with some pretty handy tricks when you were in the restaurant business.

She walked back toward the front of the café and set the meal down in front of her very appreciative customer. She was asking him if there was anything else she could get him when she saw Liz slip behind the register to ring up her other table for her.

(***)

Max took a moment to scan the café, reassuring himself there were no obvious threats to Liz or the others. Then he walked back into the break room to make the call. He knew Michael would keep an eye on things out front.

He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Isabel.

She answered on the second ring. _"Hello?"_

"We need you and Alex to get over to the Crashdown as soon as you can. We've got a problem," he said quietly.

"_Did something happen? What happened?"_ He could hear the rising anxiety in her voice.

"Everything's okay. But we should really talk about this when you two get here, okay?" Max glanced around, anxious to get the phone call over with so he could go back out front and keep an eye on Liz. He didn't like letting her out of his sight right now.

"_Okay,"_ Isabel replied, sounding somewhat reassured. _"Oh, Max, hang on. There's something else. Tess called. She wants me to pick her up at the bus station later. She's getting in at eight."_

"Great." Max said with a sigh. "Alright, come over and we'll talk, just the six of us, then you and Alex can go pick her up."

"_Okay, Max. We'll be right there."_ Then she hung up.

Max flipped his phone shut and pocketed it as he pushed the swinging door open and stepped back into the dining area. His eyes immediately sought out Liz. His shoulders relaxed fractionally when he saw her smiling at four new customers as she took their order.

He stole a moment to admire the way her eyes lit up with her natural warmth when she grinned and how beautiful she was to him. His heart felt warm and cold in his chest at the same time. He realized how lucky he was to be with her and what it would mean to him if he ever lost her.

_I can't – I _won't_ let anything happen to her_. He vowed silently to himself, then and there, to always be by her side to keep her safe.

He took a seat at the back booth by the waitress station to keep an eye out for Isabel and Alex to arrive and settled in to wait. He watched Liz and Maria fall into an easy routine as the Crashdown started to fill up with the usual dinner crowd.

They were busy seating customers quickly, taking orders, serving, ringing them up, and busing the tables in a synchronized rhythm when Isabel and Alex walked in.

(***)

Alex held the door open for Isabel as they walked into the Crashdown. It hadn't taken long from the time of Max's call for them both to reach the café. He looked down when he felt her grip his hand tightly.

He glanced at her averted face and realized the cold look in her eyes didn't match the worry he felt pouring off her in waves. Her public face was on. She'd told him once her old friends used to call this expression 'The Ice Princess' and it was how she dealt with anything that frightened her or made her unsure of herself.

She'd learned at an early age not to show weakness because it only invited attack. This was like putting invisible armor around her heart so nothing could hurt her. Her old friends used to laugh and say she looked like 'ice'… glittery, perfect, cold and hard.

But now Alex knew the truth behind the lie. He could feel it through their entwined fingers and the connection that bound them so tightly together.

He caught her eyes for a moment and reached for the quiet calm that came from his certainty that, no matter what challenge they faced, they could beat it as long as they all stayed together. He sent that surge of faith to her and was rewarded with a shy smile, her mask of indifference slipping for a moment as she felt his support.

Alex squeezed her hand reassuringly before letting go and following her to the booth where Max waited. He smiled to himself while he admired the graceful way Isabel slid in across from her brother. Her golden hair was caught up in an artfully messy top-knot that left her nape and shoulders bare.

It made him remember the way the blonde strands had fallen in a silky curtain around his face almost twenty minutes ago on her bed when she'd leaned over him and kissed him breathless.

"Hey, Alex," Max said, startling him out of the memory. Alex blushed when he noticed the way Max was looking at him, like he could read his mind in that moment and knew _exactly_ what he'd been thinking about.

"Hey, Max," Alex said, looking a little embarrassed but kind of proud too, and then he quickly brought his attention back to the topic at hand, "So, what's this all about anyway?"

"Yeah, Max," Isabel said, glancing around the café, "What's going on?"

Liz hurried over to their table with a tray of drinks.

"The usual," she said. Liz put a couple of Cherry Cokes in front of Max and Isabel and set an orange soda in front of Alex. She dropped three straws in the middle of the table and laughed when Max and Isabel reached for the Tabasco at the same time.

Isabel slapped Max's hand away with a mock-growl before snatching the little bottle from her brother. Max grinned while his sister shook a generous portion into her glass, only daring to reach for the bottle again once she started to mix her cola/sauce beverage with her straw.

Max added some Tabasco to his Cherry Coke too, stirred it together, and took a quick sip. "Thanks, Liz," he said quietly, his hand brushing over hers where it rested on the booth.

"Sure," she said, her voice soft.

Their eyes met and filled with love for a moment before he asked, "So, when can you and Maria go on break?"

Liz glanced over at the clock, then around the café, before meeting Max's eyes again with a serious look, suddenly all business. "Give us ten minutes."

Max nodded. Then Liz walked away and pulled Maria aside to whisper in her ear. Maria glance back at their table and smiled in greeting before nodding to Liz and hurrying to drop another ticket off with the kitchen.

Max continued to deflect Alex and Isabel's questions by telling them to wait for the girls' break, that they should really talk about everything as a group. Ten minutes later, Maria and Liz pulled Karen aside to tell her they were taking their break. The other waitress nodded distractedly as she poured a couple of Cokes for one of her tables.

Then Maria caught Michael's eye through the window to the kitchen and saw him nod once before he told José he was taking his break too.

The six teens quietly slipped into the employee's room in the back.

(***)

A blast of hot summer air came in behind him as Davis stepped through the Crashdown's brightly logoed double doors and into the air-conditioned café.

His cold gaze immediately went to the group of teens walking into the back room. He counted six of them as the swinging door closed behind them. He immediately wondered who the other two were.

There was an empty table near the front, so he took a seat and settled in to wait. He ran his fingers through his short sandy-brown hair and tried to resist the overwhelming urge to scratch at his neck. He needed to shed, he'd have to get back to the motel soon.

A harried-looking, older woman in one of the waitress uniforms hurried over and set a water in front of him. When she asked what he was having, he quickly glanced at the menu on the wall and just read off the first two items he saw. For a brief moment, he wondered what the hell a Warp Wrap was, but was satisfied when she nodded and walked away.

Nicholas would be arriving in this back-water town any day now.

He needed to observe the targets and, above all, to identify their protector. That would be the real challenge. Unlike the cloned hybrids, their assigned protector wouldn't have the limitation of only one appearance, making it the perfect stealth assassin. And this protector was dangerous to them, very dangerous.

He needed to catalogue their movements, committing every detail to his report, and wait for the Royal Four to lead him directly to the only being on this planet who could hope to protect them now…

He realized his expression was betraying him when the waitress came back with his order and gave him a slightly petrified look when she set it on his table. He flashed her the 'what a sweet young man' smile he practiced in the mirror and his acting skills were rewarded when she smiled back and asked if there was anything else she could get him.

He shook his head 'no', still smiling up at her, as he thought, _Of course there is. You can get me the heads of the four reincarnated alien royals in the back… with extra cream, please. A little politeness never hurts._

* * *

><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

**A/N: R&R is always appreciated. So, press the little blue button… :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Title**: Revelations (part 11)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M) (AR)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22 (with some S2/S3 canon thrown into the AR). This is post S1 the way I thought it _should _have happened. Hope you Enjoy!_

_All props go to _alecygoodness22 _for the Tess descriptor – Your Review made me laugh so hard that I've been dying to figure out a way to incorporate the nickname ever since! So perfect._

_This chapter is un-betaed, so let me know if there are any glaring mistakes and I'll fix them!_

* * *

><p>Liz watched the swinging door close with a sense of relief. She reached to hold Max's hand and he did the same. When their palms met, their fingers intertwined tightly. They found comfort in the simple connection, each feeling the other's presence at the back of their mind like a warm glow, as they stood off to the side and watched the others settle down in the Crashdown's break room.<p>

Liz was reassured by the calm stability Max radiated now that they were all together. It continually amazed her how strong he really was. She knew he gained that strength from all of them, from their belief in him. He was quickly growing to become the leader they all knew he would become. She could feel so many changes in him, they were almost instinctive now.

Liz glanced at the rest of the small group and took a deep breath in this calm before the storm. Isabel and Alex took the couch, still holding hands; while Michael leaned back against the lockers and pulled Maria up against his side, draping one arm over her shoulders as she rested against him.

Suddenly, Max spoke without preamble. "We think they've found us and that one, or more, of them are here."

As Liz had expected, they all began talking at once.

"What do you mean 'they've found' us?" Isabel exclaimed.

"Wait, what?" Alex asked, looking confused.

"I knew it," Michael said his expression hardening.

"Who are you talking about? And, wait… How do you know? Did something happen? What happened?" Maria asked, the edge of hysteria already rising in her voice as she went rigid under Michael's arm.

Max broke through quickly, "We're not one hundred percent sure that they know who we are yet. And as far as I'm concerned, we already have an advantage over them because we know they're here, so the element of surprise is lost. And they don't know that we know, so that might buy us a little more time too."

"Who is "them"? And what do you mean "we know"? How exactly did _we_ find out?" Isabel asked, clearly getting angry now.

Alex put his arm around her shoulders and started to rub her soothingly. As she reluctantly relaxed into his touch, he pinned Max and Liz with a look that said they'd better start explaining. Fast.

Liz looked directly at Isabel when she said, "I had a flash at school today. I was sitting at another table in the quad during study hall and when I touched it, I saw things… felt what he felt…"

Her voice faltered as the memories threatened to overwhelm her again. She felt Max squeeze her hand gently as he sent a pulse of love and support through their link. She grasped those feelings tight and drew on her own strength to regain some emotional balance before continuing.

She kept her voice low as she continued, "I knew it was another Czechoslovakian because his memories were all in black and white, like Nesedo's. First, I saw an orb with lights, I think it looked like some kind of indicator or something; and then, a grey sky with lightening. Then it changed to a flash of me, Max, Isabel and Alex sitting together at lunch, so he was definitely watching us eat in the quad the other day. And then, another boy's face appeared... there were these fleeting impressions when I saw his face. The strongest was fear, but there were other things too… respect, awe, and an absolute loyalty. Max and I think the boy I saw is the leader, the one we're really up against. And I felt what this other one felt. You guys, he hates us. I mean, he _really_ hates us, human and hybrids alike."

"That's everything you saw, Liz?" asked Alex quietly after a stunned moment of group silence.

"Yeah," Liz said softly. Max and she had decided earlier not to mention her vision of the future to any of the others. They'd both agreed that the rest of it was enough for the others to deal with right now.

Liz noticed how hard Maria was working to stay calm, taking deep breaths and leaning against Michael. She was really proud of her friend's determination not to lose it right now.

"So, Liz saw one of their faces," Alex said.

"Yes," said Max, "And, Michael, we want you to try to draw him."

"What?" asked Michael, startled.

"We want you to try to connect with Liz and draw what she saw," Max said quietly, "I'm sure you've all noticed that things between each of us are getting 'closer', for lack of a better term. Liz and I have a stronger connection now. We can feel each other's emotions when one of us is scared or hurt or feels something really intensely and sometimes hear each other's thoughts when we're touching. And from the way you've all been acting, we're betting the same thing is happening to all of you too."

Liz waited while each of the others slowly nodded, then she said, "Well, we - Max and I - think that it's not just limited to the person we're "with". We have a theory that it's something that connects all of us, that it's growing to link us all together. Like a web."

She turned to Michael. "So, we want you to try, Michael. 'Cause this is important."

Michael blew out a quick breath. "Okay, we'll give this a shot. So… what? You wanna try it now?"

"Yes," Max said, quietly, "But we have to make it quick. Isabel and Alex are picking up Tess at the bus station soon, so we don't have much time."

"Wait," Maria said, still visibly upset and confused, "Tess is back?"

"Yeah," Isabel replied, "She called me earlier to ask for a ride."

"Well that's just great," Maria sighed, rolling her eyes.

Liz let go of Max, pulled out her order pad and pencil, and handed both to Michael. "You can draw on the back of this right?"

"Sure," Michael shrugged.

Max took the nearest chair out of the corner and gestured for Michael to take a seat. When Michael was settled, Liz stepped forward. She stood behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders. It felt a little weird to be in that position but Liz willed herself to get over it as she looked to Max.

"Alright, both of you close your eyes and try to concentrate," Max said, "Liz focus on his face and Michael, I don't know, just try to be open to what she's seeing, okay?"

"Whatever you say," Michael smirked but closed his eyes obediently.

Liz took a deep breath and shut her eyes too. Reluctantly, she concentrated on the face that she was sure would haunt her nightmares for the foreseeable future. Remembered feelings of rage and disgust crept over her, making her sick to her stomach, as his features began to sharpen in her mind's eye. She swallowed on a gag reflex as she whispered, "I see him."

There was a strained silence as the minutes ticked by, Liz struggling to hold onto the image of the face she only wanted to forget; then came Michael's frustrated sigh. "It's no use, Maxwell. I'm not getting anything. This is a waste of time."

"Keep trying," Max said, the tension clear in his voice, "I know you two can do this."

"I don't think so," Michael said, and Liz's eyes popped open as he shrugged off her hands.

Max opened his mouth to object, but Maria beat him too it.

"Oh for God's sake!" the little blonde exclaimed, "Michael stop being difficult! We need this right? So, let's make it happen." She stepped forward and grabbed Liz's hands, slapping them on either side of Michael's neck, skin to skin. "Direct contact is how this works, right? Liz, close your eyes. Can you still see him?" At Liz's nod, Maria grabbed Michael's hand, still holding the pencil, and brought it to the paper. She took his face in her hands and said softly, "Let her in, spaceboy. I'm right here. You can do this."

Michael just grunted, but reluctantly tried to do as she asked. The look of extreme frustration on his face, coupled with Liz's ridged expression, almost had Maria calling it quits when Michael's eyes suddenly lost their focus.

Maria gasped as the connection that bound her to Michael expanded to include another mind. Suddenly, her best friend was there with them – and they saw what she saw. A face. Maria's eyes widened when she felt the roiling emotions of malice, loathing and revulsion that were linked with Liz's vision. Raw fear crept down her spine and she fought to hold down her lunch. Now, she and Michael felt exactly what Liz felt. This boy was evil.

The pencil in Michael's hand flew over the paper as his features came to life in swift stroke of graphite. A slim jawline, not yet fully mature. A slight cleft of the chin. Shaggy hair. A straight nose. Thin lips. It was the face of a teenage boy, probably around sixteen or seventeen. He was cute and all, but nothing about him seemed to merit the intense reaction they felt – until you looked into his eyes. They were utterly devoid of emotion and they betrayed the fact that he was completely inhuman.

Liz shuddered and let go of Michael, stepping back and severing the link.

She looked at the face he had drawn and felt her skin crawl. "That's him."

The others gathered round to look and Liz felt Max move to stand beside her. She leaned into his embrace gratefully. "Does anyone recognize him?" Max asked.

When everyone replied in the negative, he said, "Remember his face. If anyone sees him, don't try anything. Just get away and find the rest of us. We'll need to have some kind of strategy before we move against them."

Liz spoke up. "What we really need is more information."

Isabel sighed. "What we really need is Nesedo."

"Which is why we're sticking to the original plan," Max said, "Liz, Maria, Michael and I will take the Jetta back to the house and wait. Alex and Isabel, you go pick up Tess and bring her back to the house as soon as you can."

"I'm okay with that," Michael said, his voice containing the bare minimum of his usual snarky tone, "Tess might not be a favorite with some of our group right now, but she should still have a say in all this. It's her life too."

"Much as I hate to admit it, since she's like this little blonde gerbil with a destiny complex, I agree with Michael," Maria said, "This is big and we should all have a say in what we do next."

"Okay, then," Liz said, "We'll do the hand-off to Karen and José right now and head straight to Max and Isabel's house."

Alex held out his hand to Isabel. "I guess that's our cue to get going."

Max and Isabel shared a quick look before she and Alex left to head to the bus station.

Liz, Maria and Michael went about quickly closing out their shifts, and Max waited patiently as they did a fast swap into street clothes, before they all climbed into the Jetta drove to the Evans'.

(***)

It was quite possibly the worst car ride of Isabel's life… and that included the mad dash to save Max from the clutches of the FBI.

Tess was perched like a hyper-active canary on the back seat of the Jeep and she wouldn't stop babbling.

Maybe it was due to the tense feeling that had enveloped the SUV ever since they'd picked her up, but Tess seemed determined to fill the silence - which might just be her way of dealing with feeling uncomfortable. Not Isabel. She preferred to suffer in silence. And she liked it best when everyone else did too. _Had she really said she'd felt sorry for this girl?_

She could tell Alex was picking up on some of her irritation because he kept glancing over at her, trying not to laugh.

_Traitor_, she thought. And she couldn't even get properly mad at him! The corners of her mouth kept twitching with a barely repressed grin because he was making these funny contorted facial expressions as he tried really hard (she could tell) to stop himself from breaking up over the whole situation.

"So, I waited for hours," Tess rambled on, her voice so determinedly cheerful it put Isabel's teeth on edge, "and suddenly this delivery truck pulls into the lot. And I'm just about to do a mind-warp, because _really_ who delivers to an abandoned gas station, when this guy in the dorkiest purple uniform jumps out and hands me a vase of petunias. I mean, can you believe it? _Petunias_.

Then he just pulled out a clipboard and was like 'sign here' and got back in his truck and drove off. He didn't even ask me if I wanted a lift back into town. Anyway, there was a card in the flowers. So, I left the flowers at the gas station and brought the card back for Max."

Tess took a deep breath and Isabel thanked God.

But then the pint-sized blonde pulled a small, white square out of her front pocket and opened her mouth to continue, "Here it is. It says 'Can't get away from work, darling. Still involved in the assigned project. How about one week from that day we spent on our special rock? Same time, same place. Love, Ed.'. So, it looks like he'll meet us at the pod chamber on Sunday afternoon."

Tess smiled and looked back and forth between the two of them like someone expecting praise… which she obviously wasn't going to wait for, because then she took another breath. "In the meantime, I'm going to have to figure out what to do with the house. I mean, it's not like Nesedo is coming back for good anytime soon and the place is _way_ too big for just me. And anyway, rent's due this Friday, and I have no idea how to pay it, so… um…" She let the thought trail off suddenly, finally looking like she'd run out of conversational steam, when Isabel pulled into her driveway and shifted into park.

Isabel sighed and turned to look at Tess in the back seat. The other blonde just looked back with a wide-eyed stare.

"There've been some developments since you left," Isabel said bluntly, trying to sound less irritated then she actually was. She knew she wasn't really angry with Tess; she was just worried and lashing out at the most convenient target. She knew Alex noticed her restraint when he looked at her with warm approval, which instantly made her feel a little better all on its own. "Max asked us all to meet up at the house tonight to talk everything out. I told Mom and Dad that we were having a study group for finals so we have an excuse to all be in Max's room for a little privacy."

"All right," Tess said slowly, just noticing the red Jetta in the driveway. Her brows drew together in a frown but she didn't say anything more.

They all got out of the Jeep and walked to the front door. As Isabel turned the knob to lead the way into the house, she glanced over her shoulder and saw the obvious signs of some serious upset in Tess' expression.

She sighed and thought, _Max, you better have some kind of plan here…_

(***)

Liz Parker sat down on Max's bed and settled in to wait for the others to arrive.

Michael and Maria were still in the kitchen with Max. She'd gone ahead to have a moment to herself to think. Her mind was still reeling from the implications of the visions she'd had in the quad that afternoon. Their enemies were here, among them. The danger was real and they didn't have enough information to protect themselves. Liz really hoped that Tess came back with something useful.

On top of these concerns was the ever present and more frequent feeling of need that was welling up inside her. It was getting harder to manage with each passing day. Liz wasn't sure why she and Max were feeling this when the others obviously weren't, but it concerned her. The cravings for his touch were quickly becoming an overwhelming addiction.

She panted a little, hugging herself hard around the middle, as she tried to fight the discomfort and the instinct to find Max and throw herself into his arms because it was the only place she felt complete anymore.

The impulses grew stronger and Liz shook with the effort regain some kind of control, but when the door swung wide and she saw Max standing there, her resolve crumbled. She sighed with relief as he came toward her – and the same emotion blazed in his eyes as he joined her on his bed.

His hand extended and their eyes remained locked. Liz reached out with the lightest of touches, the connection flaring at the moment of contact. Everything else dropped away and their focus narrowed to each other, the touch of her fingertips brushing down his palm, and the instinct driving them to come together as one.

Liz met his mind with currents of warmth and welcome that rushed over them both as she relaxed into him, trusting in the completeness she only felt when linking with Max. It felt as if their souls were merging, becoming two halves of a perfect whole.

In that instant, Liz recognized their connection to each other for the rare and precious thing that it was. Not even Maria knew her as completely as Max did in these moments of total accord.

Liz's recognition of her surroundings had faded into a dim awareness. As she gazed into his eyes, she suddenly realized what she was feeling. She was feeling Max – _all_ of him. Not just his emotions and thoughts, but his physical being as well. Her mind reeled in shock and she felt the answering sense of surprise and wonder course through his system.

Her lungs expanded to take in each breath and she _felt_ his lungs do the same. Their hearts beat in tandem, echoing each other until neither could be distinguished from the other. But there was still the instinct to do more, urging her to go further. She sensed parts of him that evaded her touch, like pressing up against an elastic bubble that held them both back from a closeness they hadn't thought possible before. She felt him strain to reach those parts of her…

Helpless to resist, she took the final steps as she pushed through every barrier and welcomed his unique presence, mind, body, and soul, feeling him do the same. Overwhelming feelings of rightness and total acceptance flooded their shared mind as each expressed their mutual delight. Strange and wonderful sensations coursed through them as Liz mingled her essence with Max's with an ease that surprised them both.

As one, they were about to take their first tentative step in exploration when sudden pain exploded through their, no _his_, left arm and they distantly heard someone scream "_No!_".

Liz was thrown from their connection and the shock of the abrupt loss of contact was terrible, leaving her cold and empty.

She was alone again in her own mind.

(***)

Max opened his eyes, his shoulder throbbing with pain, and found himself staring into Liz's astonished gaze.

"Oh my God, you guys!" He recognized Isabel's voice. Both he and Liz turned to look at her. She was standing next to them, her hand on Liz's arm and Max's shoulder, her mouth drawn in a tight line of worry. Alex, Maria, and Michael stood across from them looking just as upset.

Tess was in the doorway, her eyes wide with anger and betrayal, looking back and forth between Liz and him.

(***)

_Moments earlier…_

They met Maria and Michael in the hallway and Alex opened the bedroom door, waiting until they had all entered the room before following them in. He was just about to make a bad joke as an icebreaker when he noticed that the others had frozen in shock.

He glanced across the room to where they were all staring wide-eyed and noticed Max and Liz sitting on the bed. It was like having front and center seats to _Romeo & Juliet_ every time they were within twenty feet of each other. _Nothing new there_, he thought. Then he did a quick double-take.

_Wait. Are they _glowing_?_, he thought, astonished.

Isabel unfroze first. Her brother and her friend were radiating light like a nite-bright and it was seriously freaking her out. She reached out to them both and sent a pulse of her power through her palm to shock Max him out of whatever this was.

Relief coursed through her when they both jolted under her hands and turned to look at her, the glow fading away.

"_No!_" Tess shook her head violently from side to side, like she could somehow erased what she had just seen.

Everyone turned to look at her but she paid no attention to any of them as her eyes locked with Max's.

Everything in her screamed a denial of what she had just witnessed. Max was _hers_.

He was the one she had lived this entire life waiting to find. Every moment spent on this planet, since the moment of her 'birth', had been spent training to relearn everything she would need to know to be a fitting consort to him and queen for their people. It was their _destiny_!

And what she had just seen flew in the face of everything she had ever been raised to believe about their future, everything she knew to be true. All of that pain and bewilderment was there in her voice when she asked, "How could you, Max? _How could you?_"

Max watched in dazed astonishment as she turned and ran from the room. The entire group was silent for a moment before Liz laid a hand on his shoulder. Her compassion for Tess' situation was there in her eyes. It was obvious that she was going to go after her.

Maria's hand shot out and took hold of Liz's arm. "I'll do it, Liz. No offense, babe, but you're probably the last person she's going to listen to right now."

Liz nodded in understanding and her look clearly communicated a gratitude her best friend understood completely. Isabel looked torn and Alex just looked at Maria with relief that she was taking charge of this situation.

Max took Liz's hand again and their link flared as they share feelings that were complex and would take some time to work through.

Michael reached over and laid a hand on Maria's shoulder. "You want me to come with you?"

Maria smiled, loving him all the more for the concern and caring in his eyes. Even though he didn't show his feelings easily, and probably never would, the bond between them allowed her to sense just how deeply he loved not just her, though the feelings he had for her often overwhelmed him, but all of them. Maria shook her head and let the link between them express her love for him. His mouth softened to smile slightly as he absorbed the rush of emotion and he let go of her shoulder.

Maria smiled back, saying, "It's girl talk, spaceboy. No boys allowed."

He nodded as she shared another quick look with Liz and Isabel before she was out the door and in pursuit.

(***)

Maria was running by the time she finally found Tess, who was already halfway across the park before she caught up to her.

"Tess, wait up," Maria called out breathlessly, jogging up alongside the other blonde with a grimace she quickly hid when Tess whipped around to confront her.

"Get away from me, Maria." Tess' tone was low and menacing. "I'm not in the mood for your 'silver lining' speeches or your oils or whatever you're peddling. I'm out of here." With that, she turned back toward the street and began to walk away.

Maria reached out for Tess' arm, saying, "Wait, Tess, I…" She never got a chance to finish the sentence.

A pearly white wall of energy sprang from Tess' hand and shoved Maria back. "I said _stay away from me!_"

Maria sat frozen on the ground for a moment, trying to fully take in what she was seeing. Tess was surrounded by some kind of force field. _This is just great_, Maria thought, totally exasperated, but not scared.

She took a quick moment to congratulate herself on her calm response. Not so very long ago she would have run screaming for the hills. But ever since her bond with Michael had strengthened, she had felt tougher, more grounded. At least she didn't freak about alien weirdness so easily anymore.

_That's me_, she thought ruefully, _The new and improved 'Been Around the Alien Block One too Many Times' Maria DeLuca_.

Tess was walking away again and Maria had to think fast if she was going to stop her. Besides, no one got away from Maria when she was in 'fix it' mode.

Well, tackling the other blonde to the ground was out. There was no way Maria could get close to her if Tess could cheat and use 'alien force fields' and stuff. That meant words were her only option, given the situation.

So, Maria started to shout after the retreating girl.

"What? That's it, Tess? You're just going to run away? What's the matter – you don't have what it takes to face the truth?" Maria cocked an eyebrow as Tess turned around, glad she had struck a nerve, and kept going, "That's life! It's not perfect, but so what? That's the way the cards are dealt! It's not supposed to be fair!"

Maria's voice was beginning to go hoarse as Tess stalked back toward her, but still she continued, "The world won't change just to suit your idea of how things should be. It won't do that for anyone."

Tess was only a few feet away from Maria when she abruptly dropped her shield and stopped.

"You don't understand," she practically hissed, "You don't understand anything. How could you? You think you know us? You think you know Michael? You have no idea who we are or what you've done here. We had a destiny! To be together and protect our people. But that's all gone now… I have nothing left. _Nothing_."

Whatever anger Maria felt when Tess began to speak snuffed out under the sudden wave of sympathy she felt for the other girl who looked so small and seemed so lost all of a sudden. Her tone was soft as she said, "Tess, there's something that you need to understand… You make your own destiny, _you_ shape your life. No one else can do it for you." The last words came out in a near whisper as Maria noticed the tears pooling in Tess' eyes and her heart went out to her.

She could still remember each vivid detail of Michael saying he loved her and then walking out of her life. She knew what it was to feel as if the world had dropped away and there was nothing left to hold onto.

Maria took Tess into her arms and held her tight as the other girl began to sob.

"Shh… shh… It'll be okay, it'll be okay," Maria whispered. All the while she rocked Tess slowly back and forth.

Tess held her hard and continued to cry as she accepted comfort from a girl she barely knew and would never have thought cared. When the tears had lessened, Maria pulled away a little and guided her over to a park bench, sitting down beside her. She held Tess' hand and waited for her to speak.

"We were meant to be, you know." The words came out calm, if a little stilted. "Max and I were fated by design." That last word came out with a self-mocking laugh, as if every illusion, every dream, she had ever cherished died the moment she stopped believing those words.

"I don't know who I am if I'm not for him, Maria," Tess whispered painfully.

Maria's hand tightened in hers when she asked quietly, "Do you want to be with Max because you love him? I mean, do you even know him? Or do you think your feelings for him come from being raised to believe he is your mate so you sort of have to feel that way about him?"

Tess looked over at her but remained silent, just listening, as Maria continued, "Just because you're not with Max, doesn't mean you can help your people, you know."

Tess concentrated on keeping her breathing even and studied her hands, which were clasped together so tightly her knuckles were white, as she considered Maria's words. Her thoughts were totally scattered and she didn't know what to do anymore. Her whole life had been devoted to training to be a good queen for her people and knowing she was pledged to be mated to someone she didn't even remember from another life. Nesedo was as close to family as she had and she couldn't bear to disappoint him, they'd worked so hard toward the ultimate goal of saving their people and following the preordained path laid out to that end.

Now that was all changed. She realized now that Max and she would never be together in this life. There was only one girl meant for him and that was Liz… it would always be Liz.

"You're right," Tess said, laughing a little through her tears. "My whole life has been based on a lie. What an idiot you guys must think I am… I am so _stupid_." An obvious kind of sardonic self-loathing had crept into her voice.

_Uh oh_, Maria thought. She wondered exactly how she was supposed to handle this new twist, knowing she could really use some help at that moment.

Her head snapped up when she heard the crack of a branch beneath a foot. Then, as if in answer to her silent plea, Max and Alex emerged from the darkness. They were followed closely by Michael, Liz and Isabel.

The entire group surrounded the two girls on the bench. Michael moved to stand behind Maria and rested his hands on her shoulders. Maria relaxed when she felt their connection flare with warmth and support, knowing now that everything would be alright.

Liz came to stand beside Maria as Isabel moved to Tess' side. Alex took up position right next to Isabel, and Max knelt down in front of Tess. Tess was staring at the ground, refusing to look up at any of them.

Max broke the silence first, saying quietly, "No one thinks you're stupid, Tess."

Tess snorted a little in disbelief but still wouldn't meet his eyes.

"We need you," Max said softly.

That caught Tess off-guard and her head came up in surprise. "No you don't," she said, her tone laced with defeat, "You guys have your little group and it's obvious that I don't fit in. I've been on the outside looking in for a long time now and I'm tired of trying."

"You don't need to try to be anyone but who you are. And you are one of us. You belong with us, Tess," Isabel said, "We're your family." She smiled when Tess glanced at her uncertainly. Then she took Alex's hand and reached for Max. Max took her hand and she nodded toward Liz to show she wanted him to reach out too. The rest of the group quickly caught on to Isabel's plan and Max reached for Liz, Liz for Michael, and Michael for Maria, until they were all linked except for Tess.

"Isabel's right," Max said, "There's a reason we were all sent here together. It's going to take all of us to free our people. You're an irreplaceable piece of our whole, Tess."

"Are you with us?" Max asked, as Alex and Maria held out there hands to her.

Tess hesitated for only a second before taking the hands offered to her. It was like closing a circuit. The shock ripped through her and she felt a connection she'd never known before, support and warmth flooded through her. She could feel their emotions like they were her own. The bonds between them glowed in her mind like distant stars, except between Max and Liz, that link blazed like a miniature sun and their devotion to each other was clear. In the midst of it all, she felt them calling to her, a sense of welcome enfolding her.

In that moment Tess felt as if an unbearable weight was lifted off her shoulders. She wasn't alone anymore.

She opened her eyes to look at Max.

"You love her."

"She is my soul," he said with a helpless smile.

Tess sighed. "I know." Then she smiled a little through the tears. "I guess I've always known somehow. I just didn't want to see it. Well, that's over now. It's time to grow up and stand on my own."

"Not alone, Tess," Isabel said quietly, "Never alone again."

"Well, then I guess we need to make some plans," Tess said. She looked at Max and Liz. "And there are some things I think you two should know."

* * *

><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

**A/N: R&R is always appreciated. So, press the little blue button… :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Title**: Revelations (part 12)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M) (AR)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22 (with some S2/S3 canon thrown into the AR)._

_Okay, so I'm back after one very loooooong and unexpected hiatus. If you're still following this fic, then "thank you!" and sorry about dropping off the face of the earth like that. I know it can be incredibly annoying as a reader._

_Anyway, here's the long overdue Ch12 – Thank You to musegirl for the fast and dirty edits to get this out there asap (You know I heart you, girl… and Yes anytime you feel like adding your red pen you may DEFINITELY gloat over reading it first ;)_

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><p>Max's expression became considering as he looked at Tess. "What do we need to know?"<p>

"Well, first off, Nesedo is meeting us at the pod chamber on Sunday afternoon. He sent me a message in Hondo," Tess handed Max the white card. He scanned it quickly and nodded, pocketing the small note. She sighed, "There's so much we need to go over before he arrives."

She was poised to continue when Isabel stepped forward, "But for right now, I think we should all get some sleep. Tonight's been pretty draining and everything else can wait for tomorrow."

As much as Liz wanted the information Tess so obviously had, she had to agree with Isabel. "You're right." She looked around at the group as she said, "Tomorrow's our last day of school before break and it's two days til Sunday anyway. There's a lot we need to decide together, but we shouldn't be doing it exhausted. We need clear heads to figure this out."

Max gave the final word. "Okay, we'll all go home, but we still have to stay together. No one goes anywhere alone tonight."

Michael spoke up, looping an arm around Maria's shoulders. The small blonde smiled up at him as he said, "I'm with Maria. I'm not letting her out of my sight."

"I'm staying with Isabel," Alex said, taking her hand.

"Liz, you should come home with us too. We'll call your parents and tell them we're having a sleepover at our place," Isabel suggested.

"Alright," Liz said. She pulled out her cell phone and stepped away to make the call.

Tess watched as they all paired off and couldn't help feeling left out, as usual.

Max watched as she slowly stepped back from the group but he wasn't going to give her a chance to pull away from them again. He caught her arm and his eyes met her startled glance. "Hang on a second, Tess. You're not going back to that house alone, either. We need to find you someplace safer to until we meet Nesedo and I know the perfect place."

(***)

When Sheriff Jim Valenti opened his door on the second ring somehow he wasn't surprised to find Max Evans on his front step.

"We need your help," Max said as Tess stepped out from behind him.

"Come in, come in," he quickly ushered the two kids into the house as he swept a sharp look at the street before closing the door.

"Tess needs someplace safe to stay for the next couple of days and you're the only person I trust," Max continued without preamble.

Jim ran his fingers through his hair and nodded, "Sure. She's welcome to stay as long as she doesn't mind the couch. We're a little short on space, I'm afraid." He swept out a hand to indicate the living room.

"It should only be for the weekend," Tess said hastily, a hesitant smile on her face.

Jim's expression softened as he noticed her nervous look. "It's okay, Tess," he said. "You can stay as long as you need."

"Thank you, Sheriff," Max said solemnly.

Jim just smiled and let out a quick breath. "Well, I'll just go get some clean sheets and a pillow," he said, "Be right back."

"Thanks, Max," Tess said, quietly, once the sheriff was out of earshot.

"You're welcome," he said, with a smile. He was glad this had worked out, but he really wanted to get back to Liz now.

He turned to go, but her hand on his arm stopped him short.

"Wait," she said. "There's just one more thing. It's something I would have told you earlier, but it's better that you find out without the others knowing too, at first."

She sighed, glancing to the side before meeting his eyes with resignation. "I don't really know how to say this the right way, so I'm just going to say it. It's different for you and Liz. The bond between you two isn't like what the others have."

"Tess…" Max glanced around uncomfortably.

"Look, Max," Tess cut him off, "You need to hear me out. I'm not trying to start something here. This is serious. Your connection with Liz is different and I know you can both feel it, you know?"

"Yeah, but…" Max drew out reluctantly, his expression concerned but also curious. "Are you trying to say that it's dangerous for Liz?"

"It depends on what you think is dangerous," Tess said, "I mean, if you think that being your queen is dangerous – since there's an entire alien race dedicated to seeing you both annihilated – then, yes, she's in danger, Max."

Max's shocked expression said he hadn't fully considered that aspect of things.

Tess rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Max, I've never thought of you as stupid. If you're really serious about saving our people you'll be exposing us all to danger again. What did you expect was going to happen? We're just going to waltz back onto our planet and our enemies will just hand back the crowns? They're going to try to kill us, Max – all of us.

I've trained my entire life to fulfill my duty, so I'm prepared for what lies ahead. But Liz doesn't know anything about being a queen, much less ruling an entire planet. Do you really think she's ready for what you've gotten her into?"

"I won't let anyone hurt her, Tess," Max said. His eyes were focused on something far away and his expression steely with determination. Then he looked at the short blonde and asked, "What about the bonding, what else do you know? Is it going to hurt Liz?"

Tess sighed. "No, the bonding itself shouldn't damage her in any way. I mean, it sounds like its changing her in some ways since she's developing abilities no human should have evolved to yet, but the bond is sound. Nesedo told me it would be like you and your queen aren't just connected but that you share the same mind, the same soul, once it was complete. He said that the bonding progresses in stages over a period of days. The final stage is intense and generates a large amount of ambient energy that causes a glowing effect that is the mark of the last seal.

You were both glowing tonight, Max. You're bonded to Liz on a level that the rest of us will never experience and it can only be broken by death. It's what sets the king and queen apart from all others. Nesedo said the depth of the bonding is rare and necessary because both of you will inherit a power that can change worlds."

"What power, Tess?" Max asked, confused.

"I don't know. Nesedo wouldn't tell me." Tess frowned when she admitted that. She was still a little put out that their protector wouldn't give up all his secrets, but she knew that he would give them the information when he thought they was ready for it and not a moment sooner. Nesedo was nothing if not consistent.

"We need to find out then, because we're going to need all the help we can get to do what we need to do and protect ourselves in the meantime," Max said.

Tess was about to say something more when the sheriff came back into the room, his arms overflowing with bedding. "I hope this is enough to make you comfortable," he said, his tone a little sheepish.

"I'm sure it'll be perfect," Tess turned away from Max with a little laugh, "Here, let me help you with that." She took one of the sheets and shook it out to lie neatly across the couch cushions.

"Well, it looks like you two have everything under control," Max said, "I'll see you tomorrow, Tess, and thanks again, Sheriff."

"See you at school, Max."

Jim grunted goodbye from behind the pile of down comforter.

(***)

The door squeaked on its hinges before opening just a crack. Amy DeLuca winced at the sound as she stuck her head into the darkened room.

Her eyes immediately went to the army cot in the corner and the still figure of the boy who was snoring lightly under her spare blankets. He was lying along the far wall – on the opposite side of the room from her daughter. His spiky hair stuck up at crazy angles on the pillow and his big feet hung over the edge, making her smile softly.

Quietly, she walked further into the room and over to the bed. Just like when she was a child, Maria had managed to kick all the covers down around her ankles as she slept with her arms flung out wide. Amy chuckled softly. No one knew how to take up space like the DeLuca women.

With the efficiency of long practice, she eased the covers up over her little girl and leaned down to press a quick kiss to her short blonde hair. She exited the room with a little sigh and silently shut the door.

Maria sighed too but didn't bother to open her eyes. She'd been expecting the nightly visit and had woken as soon as the door had opened. She snuggled under the blankets and was just about to fall back into dreams when she heard the soft screeching of the cot being dragged across the room.

She smiled when she felt a warm hand engulf hers and hold fast. The familiar feeling of Michael's mind brushing along hers with drowsy thoughts lulled her back to sleep.

(***)

Liz woke drowsily to the feeling of Max's arms lifting her from the air mattress Alex had set up for her on Isabel's floor. Her head rolled onto his shoulder and he settled her more securely against his chest before carrying her down the hallway into his room.

Her eyes opened as he slid her into his bed.

"You're back," she said with a quiet smile.

"Shh," he whispered at her ear, tucking his body around hers.

Liz laid a hand over the strong arm that pulled her more firmly into his embrace as she let the heat of his body surrounding hers and the perfection of their thoughts and emotions merging as one lull them both into a deep, dreamless sleep.

(***)

A swift knock at the door had him grabbing the remote to mute the television then glancing out the peephole before opening the door wide.

A short, ordinary-looking teenager stood on the other side of the threshold with a matronly woman to his left and a middle-aged man at his back. The young man brushed past him without a word, the others following him in, as Davis quickly stepped back to let them in.

The woman immediately began to rifle through the paperwork on the small table in the corner of the motel room. "Nicholas," the woman called out in a lilting voice, "over here."

Nicholas scanned the room slowly before his cold gaze came to rest on the subordinate still holding the door open. His expression was a mask of poorly concealed disdain and his posture betrayed an authority well beyond his years.

Then he walked over to the woman's side and held out his hand for the photos she had found. She smiled sweetly, the expression settling unnaturally over her features, as she handed them over then went to sit next to the older man on the bed.

Nicholas began indolently flipping through the first of the surveillance photos. Suddenly his fingers stilled as he pulled one picture from the pile and held it up. It showed a beautiful blonde girl coming out of a boutique, her hands clutching a profusion of bags and a satisfied smile on her face.

"This must be Vilondra," Nicholas said, his tone musing and strangely distracted. "Still so perfect. Ever the flawless princess, even in this limited form. I really don't know how she does it." He sighed. "Kivar will be pleased."

He stared at the photo for another long moment before dropping it back on the table.

"We've never been closer to complete victory," Nicholas said with relish, his smile turned chilling.

Davis cleared his throat and asked, "What are Kivar's orders?"

Nicholas made a tisking noise before pinning Davis with a cold, dead stare and saying, "Kivar is out of contact at the moment. And, ultimately, the only orders that matter on this backwater planet are mine anyway. I thought you understood that, Davis. I would hate to have to remind you of why. It would be quite painful… for you."

Davis wisely kept his mouth shut and bowed his head in salute to his superior, half expecting to die at that moment.

But instead, Nicholas turned abruptly and took the only chair in the room, before continuing, as if only concerned for the mission, "It is our duty to eliminate this threat to our king. We all understand that. The others will arrive here tonight and tomorrow we will begin planning the best way to obliterate the Royal Four, down to the last molecule. In the meantime, 'Project Vilondra' will go into full effect.

Until then, you will review everything you've gathered on them and their protector with me…now."

Nicholas sat back and listened with only half an ear as Davis gave his debriefing. His eyes drifted to the picture of the four young royals talking animatedly at a shaded table, their faces so open and carefree. He felt his mouth twist in derision at the new proof that they were still as soft as they had ever been.

Well, it would make his job easier. And, really, it hadn't been all that difficult the first time around either. He smirked, his eyes reflecting both childish glee and sadistic brutality, as he thought, _Ready or not, Zan, here we come._

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><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

**A/N: Again, I know it's been awhile, but R&R is always appreciated. So, press the little blue button… :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Title**: Revelations (part 13)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M) (AR)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22 (with some S2/S3 canon thrown into the AR)._

_Thank you for the awesome Reviews! I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to reply individually this time, but you definitely know how to express the love. It's amazing and inspirational._

_I borrowed some events and a little dialogue from the actual S2/S3 transcripts for a couple of the scenes below, with minor adjustments. One scene in particular was too good to pass up and, let's face it, in this case it doesn't get better than cannon. ;)_

_This chapter is un-beta'd, so please PM me with any mistakes and I'll fix 'em up. I hope you enjoy this one!_

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><p>The morning sun filtered through the drawn curtains. Kyle yawned and absently scratched his chest before walking into his living room. There was plenty of time for a cup of the good stuff before he headed out for school. He swiped at his bleary eyes as he passed the couch, intent on the coffee maker in the kitchen.<p>

Movement out of the corner of his eye stopped him dead in the doorway. Slowly, he swung around. And his jaw dropped.

Tess Harding was bunked down on his sofa, blinking the sleep out of her eyes as she gave him a lazy smile. "Morning."

Her voice was husky and shot straight to his groin as alarm bells started ringing in his head.

"Yes. Morning. What the hell are you doing here?" Kyle asked.

"I live here." Tess was all innocence as she stood, letting the comforter fall away to reveal her wearing nothing more than a loose fitting t-shirt that barely fell to mid-thigh. She sauntered forward and reached out, quick as a snake, to snap the elastic band of his boxers. "Calvin Klein. I approve," she said saucily.

Not taking his eyes off her for a second, he turned the rest of his head toward the back of the house, and tried to keep the panic from becoming obvious, as he yelled, "Dad!"

(***)

Tess was still laughing to herself when she came around the hallway corner. Students milled about, stressing over their last few finals and making last minute plans for summer break, but Tess wasn't really paying attention to any of it as she made her way to her locker. She was having too good a time remembering the look on Kyle's face when she had deliberately misled him into thinking she was moving into his house permanently. He'd just looked so… panicked.

She smiled to herself as she pulled out her Chemistry textbook. When Kyle had confronted his father, she hadn't been able to help overhearing his loud objections to a new houseguest or Sherriff Valenti's calm assurances that she was only staying for a few days until her dad got back into town.

She'd only felt a little guilty for the stunt she'd pulled that morning, but she'd made breakfast for the three of them, as the guys argued, anyway – just some bacon, eggs and waffles to make it up to Kyle and to thank the Sherriff for his hospitality. But when the two guys had finally come into the kitchen, they'd looked shell-shocked at the home-cooked meal heaped on a few plates she'd put out for them. _You could have knocked them over with a finger when I brought out the fresh squeezed orange juice._

Tess stood there, wondering exactly how long it had been since the Valenti men had last had an actual meal together, and wondering why she even cared, when Liz came up next to her.

"Are you ready for this?" the petite brunette asked with a shy smile. "I think the section on thermodynamics will probably be the hardest but Mr. Seligman usually grades his Chem finals on a curve, so that leaves a little breathing room."

Tess smiled back hesitantly and nodded as Max came up behind Liz and put an arm around her waist with a grin. "And how would you know that?"

"I've got my sources, mister." Liz laughed with a fake punch to his abs before she shrugged and admitted, "I was in his extra-curricular course last year for additional credit and he let it slip."

Maria and Alex joined their little group, laughing when they heard her admission.

"Only you, chica, would sign up for that kind of additional torture willingly." Maria shook her head at her best friend, her expression a perfect blend of affectionate exasperation.

"Hey, it really _was_ fun," Liz defended herself with mock indignation.

Max hugged her more tightly to him as he hid a smile in her hair.

Alex just sighed before saying, "We'd better get going or we'll be late."

Tess watched as the tight group of friends began to walk off down the hall when Liz looked over her shoulder and asked, "You coming?"

Tess let out a little start of surprise, startled into a quick nod of her head. "Um, yeah. Just a second."

She turned away to close her locker door and moved quickly to catch up with the group. Her blue eyes met Liz's brown in a moment of understanding. They weren't friends yet by any means, but the door had been opened last night… and Tess knew it was up to her to decide if she wanted to walk through.

In the meantime, she was content to follow her classmates to their Chemistry final and listen to Alex try to tell a "why'd the chicken" joke with a science theme. Human boys could be so ridiculous sometimes.

(***)

"Hey, Valenti!"

Kyle was startled out of his thoughts, the ones that kept irritatingly circling back to a certain pretty blonde alien invader, as he heard someone shout his name.

"Michael," he said in surprise, then he glanced around, "Where's Max?"

"What do I look like, my brother's keeper?" Michael asked with an irritated shrug.

"I sort of thought it was the other way around." Kyle smiled and kept walking to his next class, Michael moving to match pace next to him. "Wait… you guys are brothers?"

"Whatever." Michael rolled his eyes, completely ignoring the question in favor of his own agenda. "Look we need to discuss your side-effects. Tess says that our powers affect everyone differently and since you're having dreams about the pod chamber after Maxwell saved your life, we need to know just how far it goes for you. Since we all know it goes pretty damn far for Liz."

"Hang on man," Kyle put on the mental brakes. He could only handle so much of the alien mumbo-jumbo at one time and Michael was coming out of left field here. "What do you mean 'having dreams'? Max told you about that?"

Michael just looked at him with one raised eyebrow and an expression that clearly stated 'duh'. "Max tells me everything."

Then, as if Kyle hadn't said anything at all, Michael continued, "Like I said, we still don't know everything about how our powers work. And since you're seeing the place we were born we think it would be in our best interest to keep an eye on you."

"What Michael means to say," Isabel said as she slipped her arm around Michael's waist and offered Kyle a dazzling smile, "is that Michael is throwing a get-together at his apartment tonight in celebration of the fact that this is our last day of enslavement, before three months of freedom and fun in the sun, and we'd be honored if you'd join us. Don't worry, Liz, Alex, and Maria will be there too and there will be plenty of food, drinks and entertainment for all."

"So, are you coming?" Isabel asked with a winning smile.

"No one ever says 'no' to you, do they?" Kyle asked in bemusement.

"To be honest, it's rare." Isabel's grin turned a little naughty as she wound a strand of her hair around her finger.

"Okay, I'll be there, I guess."

"Great!" Isabel let go of Michael and nudged him down the hall. "Meet us at our table during lunch and we'll discuss details."

Michael grunted as she slammed her elbow into his stomach when he looked like he wanted to add something to the conversation, but he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Kyle grimaced in sympathy, but didn't feel too bad because Michael sort of had it coming. And he kept his mouth closed too as the two pod people walked off down the hall. The prom queen princess and the juvenile delinquent. It just looked weird.

Kyle walked into class thinking, as much as he might wish it otherwise, he could probably kiss 'normal' goodbye.

(***)

The quad was overflowing with students looking to find a spot to bask in the summer sun and count down the last few hours left until freedom.

Liz was just glad they had managed to stake out the usual table and were all seated together.

She saw Michael reaching over to snag one of Maria's fries out of the corner of her eye when Kyle walked over to join them. Alex and Liz moved apart to make room for him to sit.

"So, this is the super-secret alien clubhouse, huh?" Kyle asked as the others all stared at him for a moment.

"Yeah," Tess said, "We've got a special knock and everything. Remind me to show you sometime."

"Cute." Kyle smirked at her before looking to Liz. "I hear you guys had something you wanted to say to me?"

"Thanks for coming, Kyle." Liz smiled, her expression still that of the genuine and friendly girl Kyle had known since their first day of kindergarten. She had relaxed into Max's side and shifted a little to make room as the alien boy leaned forward.

"We just wanted to talk to you about the dreams and thought it would be best if we did it together, as a group," Max said softly.

"Okay, then," Kyle nodded, "let's talk."

"Max mentioned a few details, but could you tell us what exactly are the dreams about, in your own words?" Isabel asked.

"Sure," Kyle said. It was easy to allow the images to flood his mind when they had been his only dream for days now. "I'm in this room, Max said it's your pod chamber. Anyway, it's dark, but there's light coming from the far wall and I see a pattern that's kind of glowing. It's four bright, white dots, they make a square, and the one on the bottom left is sort of pulsing. Then the light gets brighter, only it's not white anymore, it's blue, and there are these symbols that start flashing by. They definitely have a meaning, but I have no idea what it is. Then, at some point in the sequence, I wake up."

Michael leaned forward and asked excitedly, "Could you draw the symbols?"

"Since they're all I see when I close my eyes these days – yeah, I think I could manage that." Kyle replied.

Alex drew out a notebook and pen from his backpack and put them on the table.

"Thanks, man," Kyle said. Alex offered a nod and a lop-sided grin as he moved to take Isabel's hand back into his own.

It didn't take Kyle long to sketch out fifteen distinct symbols across the faint blue lines of the narrow-rule page. Then he pushed the notebook into the center of the table and took a bite of his burger. He watched the others stare at the symbols as he chewed.

Michael's eyebrows drew together. "They're like the ones from my healing."

"Yeah, they are, but they're different too." Max reached out and tapped the symbol at the top of the page. "Four dots in a square. This could be us. You, me, Isabel and Tess."

"Weren't the pods arranged in that pattern too?" Isabel asked, leaning more fully into Alex as she thought about it. "Maybe there are clues in the chamber that we haven't found yet; maybe that's why Kyle is having the dreams."

"I think that's the reason Nesedo wants to meet us there," Tess said suddenly. "He could have chosen to meet us at the house, it would have been safer, but he didn't."

"We've been over that place a million times and never found anything before," Michael said, "but if Tess says Nesedo has a reason for meeting us there, then I say we should get there first and have another look around."

Kyle perked up at that. Looking up from his burger, he said, "I'm coming with you."

Michael and Tess looked like they were about to object, when Liz nodded. "Of course you are."

"We'll go tomorrow morning." Max looked around the table. "Michael and the girls have Saturday off and we can drive out first thing."

"In the meantime," Isabel said with a smile, "We're still meeting at Michael's tonight for a little end of the school year bash. Festivities begin at eight and _all_ of you had better be there."

(***)

The bell rang, signaling the end of the last period of the year. Summer was officially here.

Liz smiled at Maria and Alex high-fiving in the halls as they met up outside the band room. Both the girls burst out laughing when Alex did an impromptu celebratory dance, if you could call it dancing. Liz didn't really think you could, more like a 'flailing of the limbs in a moment of insanity'.

They were still laughing when Liz stumbled under a sudden wave of dizziness.

She quickly braced herself against the wall as another wave of awareness rolled through her, threatening to take her under. Max.

She distantly heard Maria ask if she was okay, but it barely registered as her focus shifted outside of herself.

He was in the boy's locker room; she could see the faint image of showers and benches superimposed on the back of her eyelids. She vaguely remembered gym was his last period this semester.

Max was talking to Kyle. His hair was wet; she could feel the short, damp strands on the back of Max's neck. Liz faintly felt a blush heat up her face when she got a glimpse of Greg Coleman's naked backside out of Max's periphery vision, but Max didn't notice. He was amused by something Kyle was saying. Liz felt the laughter bubble up inside him, her lips curved in an unintended echo of his feelings, as she fought to hold onto her sense of self. She knew he wasn't aware that she was with him like this yet.

Every urge whispered to her to just let go, to lose herself in the merge with Max, to truly never be alone again; but a distant voice, one that was almost drowned out by the wonder and intensity of this connection, spoke to the core instinct for survival. That voice reminded her that their differences, their independent natures, were part of what they had fallen in love with in the first place. Their separate strengths that covered each other's weaknesses – would be lost. Cold fear trickled down her spine, the shock tearing her away from Max's mind.

Suddenly, she was back in the hallway, slumped against the wall, an arm curled into her stomach as if trying to hold some part of herself together that she didn't trust not to fly apart without warning, and staring into the concerned eyes of her two best friends.

Then Max was there. Her fear had touched him and she felt his concern like a question wrapping her mind in a swath of warm sensation, but it was too much, too soon. She concentrated on sending back a wave of calm, holding up her hand to halt Maria and Alex's worried questions, before narrowing their bond to the smallest filament of sensation she could manage. She took a deep breath of relief when the connection receded to the merest of trickle of awareness in the place in her mind where she always felt Max now.

"Liz, what just happened?" Alex's tone was concerned and he reached out to brace her other side.

Maria's hand touched her forehead. "Are you okay? What was that?"

"You guys, I'm fine," Liz said, summoning up a shaky smile before straightening up, "It's just something that's been happening lately, but it's never been this strong."

"Do you need to go to the hospital?" Alex asked, ready to take her right there if she gave the word.

"No!" Liz exclaimed, shaking her head, and then lowered her voice to say, "It's not like that. It's a Czechoslovakian thing."

"Does Max know?" Maria asked, the worry in her voice growing by the second.

"Not really," Liz said, "and you guys have to promise not to tell him." Before they could object, as they were clearly about to, she continued, "I want to tell him about this myself. This is between the two of us and not anyone else."

Her soft brown eyes begged them to understand and agree to her request.

Slowly they nodded their agreement.

"Okay, chica, if that's what you want." Maria's worried frown didn't diminish.

"Tonight," Alex said, naming his terms, "You'll tell him tonight or I will."

"I'll talk to him about it at Michael's," Liz promised.

"Okay, then," Maria said, blowing out a breath and pasting on a smile. "Well, I guess there's only one thing to do now." She linked her arms through each of her friends. "Time to get ready for a party."

(***)

_Lamest party ever._ The thought passed through Kyle's mind for the third time in as many minutes. The girls were hot, the music was okay, and there was definitely free booze and grub, he acknowledged, but it sort of killed the mood when everyone sat around in various groups to either argue over alien meeting strategy or watch in brooding silence.

Liz and Max were obviously having some sort of disagreement. She'd pulled him into the bathroom as soon as she and Maria had arrived and they'd come out ten minutes later, him looking shell-shocked and her looking upset.

_Definitely trouble in paradise_, Kyle thought, but got distracted when Tess stood and walked over to the table with the food, breaking off what seemed to be a one-sided conversation with Guerin, to grab some nachos and salsa. He tried to shift his gaze away, and failed, when the short skirt of her blue dress rose to reveal several more inches of thigh as she reached for a bottle of honey and promptly squeezed a large dollop on top of her salsa. _Gross_.

Tess must have noticed him watching, because she turned and grinned devilishly before taking a big bite. Kyle knew his senses should be mortally offended, but he couldn't hold onto his outrage when she was looking at him like that. Her blue eyes were mischievous as she cocked her head to the side and made "oh yeah!" faces while she chewed.

He barely managed to contain a startled laugh and, instead, fake gagged in disgust.

It was her turn to hold back the laughter, as his expression went from grossed out to ridiculous when she licked her fingers nice and slow. Tess loved to tease and Kyle made it way too easy.

She was just about to give into the temptation to see how far she could go without doing anything _too_ crazy, when Michael's voice cut across the room, cuing her into the fact that they had an audience.

"Kyle, either get a room or come over here and help us figure out what these symbols mean." Michael's expression straddled the line between irritated amusement and exasperation.

"He's already said he doesn't know what they mean," Alex said quietly, "And I don't think that's the most pressing issue tonight anyway." His expression was concerned as he glanced at Maria before settling on Liz.

"Don't worry about it, Alex," Max said, "We're dealing with it."

"Dealing with what?" Michael asked, his radar going up at the obvious tension between Max and Alex.

"Nothing," Max replied, his tone holding a note of finality that wouldn't be challenged.

Michael opened his mouth to argue, but Maria promptly sat down in his lap and his arms instinctively rose to wrap around her waist as she said, "Let's not argue, tonight's supposed to be about fun, remember?"

No one answered as the tension in the room started to climb.

Then Michael broke the silence. "Look, Maxwell, I thought we'd decided, no more secrets. We're handling things together now. Well, this feels like you're not telling us something and it's starting to piss me off... So, what's wrong with you and Liz?"

Well, that proved he wasn't as oblivious as Kyle first thought.

Max's face could have been set in stone, for all the emotion he'd wiped away. "We're handling it, Michael. It's between the two of us and doesn't have anything to do with you."

Liz and Tess shared an unexpected look as Max stared Michael down. Isabel just looked anxious as Alex rose to join her where she was standing by the kitchen. And Kyle had no idea what was going on.

The silence was starting to become unbearable and Kyle knew someone was about to break.

"Okay, that's it!" Maria's shout startled them all. She rose from Michael's lap in one swift motion and grabbed the backpack she'd brought with her, dropping it on the table. "I knew this was going to happen and, luckily, I came prepared. We all need a break and this is not it. This party officially blows, people." With that she up-ended the contents of the bag, dumping glow sticks, glitter brushes and glow necklaces everywhere.

Then she smiled brightly at the shocked expressions of her friends before declaring, "We're going to find Enigma."

* * *

><p><strong>TBC…<strong>

_A/N: So, some writer's block on how to proceed held up this update, but I'm on track again, so whoot, whoot! (grins)_

_To those of you who noticed the continuity hiccup above, my apologies. It just played out better this way getting out the scene (and I did go back to the previous effected chapter to correct the problem, so I'm doing my best to remain mindful!)_

_Also… Enigma! God, I loved that party concept in S3 but I was so disappointed by the flashback of what was over the hill. So, I'm hijacking the idea and shifting gears. For the purpose of this story, Enigma isn't a NYE bash, it's an annual graduation event. So, if you're up for it, let's get this party started!_

_And Thank You to all for the Story Alerts and Favorites that continue to mount up. It's so encouraging! I've noticed some of the Reviews are starting to influence the details in certain scenes, so that's interesting to me too._

**As always R&R is appreciated. So, press the little blue button… :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Title**: Revelations (part 14)

**Author**: Angela Rae

**Category**: Max/Liz, Michael/Maria, Isabel/Alex, Kyle/Tess (M) (AR)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own any of these fabulous characters, more's the pity. They are the exclusive property of 20th Century Fox Television, Regency Television, Jason Katims, Melinda Metz and Laura J. Burns. To quote some of my favorite fan fiction authors, I'm just borrowing – I'll return them as I found them. Cross my heart!

_A/N: Rated M for safety reasons… this fic is set at the end of "Destiny", ep 1:22 (with some S2/S3 canon thrown into the AR)._

_Thanks to Musegirl for the fastest beta turnaround I've ever seen! You're amazing!_

_I'm sorry for not getting this out sooner... I'm preggers with my first, so the exhaustion was kicking my butt, but I meant it when I said I would finish this one. It just might take a little longer than I thought. So, bear with me._

_Anyway, let's get to the party!_

* * *

><p><em>"We're going to find Enigma."<em>

"What's Enigma?" Tess asked, obviously confused.

"Are you out of your mind?" Michael's expression took frustration to whole new heights. "We're about to go to war and you want to find a party?!"

"It's this huge graduation party that the senior class has thrown every year for, like, forever." Liz answered Tess, ignoring Michael's outburst. "Maria has been obsessed with going ever since we found out about it in the fifth grade."

"Yeah, but you're only invited if you're a senior graduating that year," Alex said, then added with a grin, "or if you're an underclassman who can figure out the clues to where it's being held. But they aren't easy to solve and they're always hidden. Hence, the party's name… Enigma."

"Maria found out where the first clue was last year and we thought it pointed to the bowling alley, but we couldn't find the second clue once we got there," Liz said with a commiserating look for her best friend.

"Yes, but we will find it this year," Maria inserted, "You know what they say – 'eight heads are better than one.' And I just happen to know where to find the first clue this year, too."

"Uh, Maria, I think it's 'two heads are better than one,'" Alex grinned.

"Can it, Whitman, that's not the point. The point is that we're all stressed out and we need a break. Enigma is that break. So, get up, pick your party accessories, and let's go!" Maria exclaimed, fairly bursting with excitement.

"Hey, I'm game," Kyle raised his hand in a show of solidarity and glanced around before lowering it.

Isabel looked around the ruins of their failed party and sighed. "As much as it pains me, I agree with Maria." Then she smiled when she felt Alex kiss her temple.

"I'll go," Tess said with a shrug.

"We're in," Liz said, giving Max a firm look.

Michael knew he was sunk the second Maria turned those big, blue eyes his way.

"Alright, alright," he growled, snagging her around the waist and pulling her back to his side. He knew it made him all kinds of soft, but he couldn't handle disappointing her. "We'll do this. But tomorrow, we're back to business."

Max met Michael's gaze and nodded. "Definitely."

"Great!" Maria looped a glow necklace over her head. "I heard from Vicki Delaney that the first clue is on the football field."

(***)

It turned out the first clue wasn't all that hard to find.

Max was the first to spot the large group of their classmates gathered around one of the goalposts when they arrived at the edge of the field.

Michael took Maria's hand and Alex took Isabel's as they paired off and started to make their way across the turf. Liz grinned when she noticed Kyle sticking close to Tess and the petite blonde glancing at the jock-turned-Buddhist every once in a while with a sort of speculative look in her eye.

But when Max reached out to wrap his fingers around Liz's, she couldn't hold back a wince. She didn't say anything, just looked at him as she saw the startled realization that he'd forgotten their agreement dawn in his eyes.

She felt the hurt that lanced through his chest as he struggled not to let it flow down the link. And she had to hold herself back hard from reaching out to comfort him, digging her fingernails into her palms until they left little, white half-moons in her flesh. He let his hand fall back to his side.

Their conversation from earlier that night came flooding back.

_"Max, we need to talk." Liz felt her expression tense as she sensed the rush of joy he always felt whenever he was near her._

_Alarm spiked down their connection, pulling at her harder, as she tried to maintain some kind of control. Max reached to touch her, and she saw his shock when she held herself back with a grimace. "Liz, what's wrong?"_

_Liz shook her head, glancing over her shoulder at the others._

_Michael's apartment showed the definite touch of Isabel. There were brightly colored plates and tastefully coordinated napkins and cups to the side of the table crowded next to litters of soda, vegie trays, chips and dip, quesadillas, and trail mix; and knowing Michael, there was probably even some beer in the fridge. Someone had put a Third Eye Blind CD in the player. Tess and Michael were on the couch having some kind of serious discussion with Alex, Maria had wandered into the kitchen talk to Isabel, and Kyle was sitting in the corner looking a little lost._

_"Can we talk in private?" Liz asked softly. When Max nodded, she led the way into the small bathroom, closing the door behind them._

_"Liz, what's going on?" Max didn't even try to keep the concern out of his voice as she felt him try to reach for her through their connection, only to discover that it was barely wider than a thread._

_"I'm losing myself, Max," Liz said quietly, glancing away. There. She had said it. She blew out the breath she had been holding._

_"What do you mean?" The confusion he felt was written all over his face._

_"The connection between us…" she took a deep breath, before looking him fully in the face, "it's overwhelming me." She rushed to continue, "I don't know if it's because I'm fully human and you're not, or if I'm just weaker because my abilities aren't as developed as yours yet, or if it's some other part of the process that I haven't thought of, but it's happening."_

_Her heart started to beat like a drum, a strange panic flooding her system, as cold fear settled into the pit of her stomach. This was really happening. And she had no idea how to fix it._

_Max stayed silent, frozen, as she desperately tried to explain, "It's like this wave that keeps trying to take me under. It used to be okay, I thought I could deal with it, but it's so much stronger now. Today, I was in your mind and you didn't even know it. You were in the locker room, talking to Kyle, and you were laughing at something he said." Max jolted in surprise. She couldn't have known that unless she'd been there, and he hadn't seen her since the period before. "Max, I couldn't control it and only being scared out of my mind was enough to break the connection in the end."_

_She cringed as she saw him realize this wasn't some kind of girlish overreaction, this was something much more serious._

_"It should be the lack of control that scares me the most… but it's not," she admitted, "It's that when I lose myself in you like that," she bit her lip before continuing, "there's a big part of me that doesn't want to come back. I just want to lose myself in you forever… and that scares me." She felt the tears well up in her eyes, and the pain that ripped at him when he saw. She knew exactly what he was thinking. His worst fear was coming true. She was hurting… because of him, because of this connection between them._

_Liz's next words proved that she could still read his mind, bond or no bond. "It's not your fault, Max," her smile became just a little self-depreciating, "Actually, if it's anyone's fault, it's probably mine."_

_"How could this be your fault?" his voice sounding harsh and forced, "The bond is because of me, because of who I am… _what_ I am."_

_Liz shook her head, trying again to make him understand. "I think that's the point, Max. This connection is something from a different world. I think it's me that's the issue here. My mental abilities aren't strong enough to balance out yours. I mean, I get flashes, and I'm obviously developing some kind of precognitive ability too, but it's not strong enough yet to be your equal and I think that imbalance is affecting our connection." Liz reached up and impatiently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she furrowed her brow in thought. "The only thing I can't figure out is why this is happening to us and not the others."_

_That was when he told her about his conversation with Tess and what she'd said about their bond being different from the others for a reason._

_"Really?" Liz asked, thinking over the new information with more than a little scientific wonder. Then she shook her head, trying to focus on the problem at hand. "But that just proves my point, Max. Tess was right," her tone was suddenly miserable as she realized, "I'm no queen. I can barely manage Maria sometimes! Just think how hopeless I'd be trying to rebuild a whole world." _

_Her voice lowered to a whisper, "Maybe you should have chosen Tess after all." Misery curled out from her clenched stomach and she wrapped her arms tightly around herself to keep from flying apart. What had she been thinking?_

_"No, Liz," Max's tone was firm, for the first time since the conversation had begun, and held no trace of doubt. "We're in this together. You promised. You said you'd never leave me again." Liz's eyes widened, recognizing her own words from that night on her balcony. "We'll fix this. Together." His eyes locked with hers, desperate for her agreement. He released the breath he'd only just realized he'd been holding when she nodded reluctantly. _

_ Max held her gaze and asked, "Do you trust me?"_

_"Always." Her answer came without hesitation._

_"Then we'll find a way." Max was determined. Nothing was going to take Liz from him again, he wouldn't allow it._

_"Okay," Liz said, "We need a plan though." Her gaze was direct and unflinching, even though he could feel echoes of her pain through the narrow link between them, belying her earlier claims to weakness. _

_She was already a queen, Max knew, even if she wasn't ready to admit it yet to herself._

_"Until I can figure out how to maintain my side of the bond without drowning in it, I don't think we should touch if we can help it. Just for now," she added, seeing his shocked look._

_He nodded reluctantly. "Okay."_

_"Okay," she echoed._

_Max's stomach turned at the thought, but he tried to remain focused on the goal. Liz said she just had to make herself stronger and he was going to make sure that happened, it was the only way to keep her safe._

_With that in mind, he kept his distance as he followed her out the door to join their friends._

And now he couldn't help but feel like she was slipping away from him. Feeling a sense dread that he tried to fight, he would find a way to fix this- he _had_ to. Max forced himself to step away from her and focus on the events unfolding on the far side of the field.

(***)

The other students were clustered in groups in the end zone, shining flashlights on a piece of paper that hung from the bright yellow column of the goalpost.

As Liz and Max drew closer, they saw it was one of the 'Stop the Littering' campaign PSA posters that were displayed in various places around town.

On the page, there was a big image of a hand throwing a crumpled piece of paper into a trash can marked for recycling and beneath it read the words:

RESPECT OUR TOWN'S PUBLIC SPACE.

PUT YOUR TRASH IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

A message from the Roswell Sheriff's Department

Next to the police department's emblem on the last line was a hand-written note: _ – Keep it squeaky clean, kids!_

"What the hell does that mean?" Kyle asked, glancing at the others.

"Don't look at me," Tess said, shaking her head.

Maria looked around at the different students that huddled in groups or pairs, whispering to each other as they looked at the poster intermittently.

She waved the others to the side and waited until they formed a circle. She took a moment to give her friends a serious look, this was life and death stuff here, at least for their social lives. Then she said quietly, "Well, obviously 'Keep it squeaky clean, kids' is a deliberate clue. So what keeps it squeaky clean?"

Blank stares met her question.

"Oh, come on, guys, think!" she huffed, eyes bright with the famous DeLuca determination, "We'll never figure these clues out if we don't try. So, what do you think keeping it squeaky clean could mean?"

Kyle shrugged. "Uh… soap?"

"Okay," Maria said, "What does soap have to do with littering?"

"Nothing, really," Liz said, "I mean, you don't use soap to clean up litter. You just throw the litter away."

"Maybe it's more about symbolism? Like cleaning up the town?" Alex suggested.

"It's not that hard," Michael put in suddenly. "This one's obvious. It's the old soap factory."

"How do you figure?" Max asked.

Michael shrugged. "They basically drew a line from the RSD to the squeaky clean note. Kyle's right, it means soap. The Sherriff busted that party at the old soap factory last year. So, that's got to be it."

"Oh, my God, Michael," Maria squealed with excitement as she grabbed his hand, "You're totally right!" She was mid-victory dance, when she noticed other students suddenly looking her way. She tried to casually lower her arms. They had to be inconspicuous about this. Adopting a serious expression, she turned back to her group.

"You mean Enigma is at the factory?" Tess asked.

"No, it can't be," Liz replied, eyes sparkling with excitement, she was actually starting to get into this, "There are always at least two or three clues before you figure out the location of the party, but I bet that's where the second clue is."

"Okay, people," Maria said in a stage whisper, "Try to act normal and we'll casually walk back to our cars. If you can manage to look mildly disappointed, that's even better."

"Gimme a break," Isabel rolled her eyes, "It's just a party."

"Yeah," Maria scoffed, "_just_ the most awesome party of the year. Now, come on."

Together they started to make their way back to the parking lot. Alex laughed when he noticed Maria's idea of "casual walking" involved exaggerated arm swinging and tone deaf whistling. Michael just sighed.

Despite Maria's obvious moves, they made their way back to the Jeep and Jetta without attracting any followers.

Max and Maria each got behind the wheel. Alex and Isabel were climbing into the back of the Jeep when Liz jumped into the back seat of the Jetta.

"I thought I'd tag along with you two this time," she said with an over-bright smile. Maria's eyebrow rose and Michael frowned, noticing Max's blank expression, but they both held their peace as Kyle and Tess quickly surveyed the seating situation. Tess opted for the Jeep and Kyle shrugged, climbing into the Jetta next to Liz.

Maria shrugged too. There was obviously drama between Gidget and Moondoggie, and her 'best friend spidey sense' was going ballistic, but now was not the time to dwell. She had a date with destiny. All other considerations would have to wait.

With that thought in mind she gunned the engine and headed for Route 70.

(***)

They split up when they arrived at the abandoned factory, figuring they could cover more ground that way. Maria had decided to take the west corner, by the large tanks and pumps. There were some pretty good hiding spots, but so far all she'd found were a few broken bottles and random glow-in-the-dark paint smears left over from the rave.

She stopped to look over one of the station gauges and pretended not to notice when Max and Liz halted on the other side of the aisle to check out one of the mixers. It was so obvious to her that they were trying not to stare at each other. A small smile touched her lips. They were so hopeless. Her first instinct was to walk over them and smack some sense into the pair of them. But now wasn't the time to interfere in whatever drama they had going. She'd give them at least a day to figure this out for themselves… after that, God help them if she had to put her nose into this situation.

Maria ducked underneath a massive pipe, still scanning for any signs of the clue, when she heard Alex yell.

"Hey, you guys! Over here!"

She ran toward his voice, sudden excitement flooding through her veins. _The second clue to Enigma!_ As she tried not to trip herself over any of the equipment, Max and Liz followed close behind.

Maria was slightly out of breath when she found the rest of the group at the east wall. Her eyes widened at what they had found.

There, on the wall, someone had spray-painted in large, orange script:

[1, 26]

21 6 15

And next to it, but far enough apart to show it was meant to be separate, were the words:

_= to the true anomaly - the mean anomaly_

Her spirits fell crashing to the cold, hard cement. _What the hell does that mean?_

She tried tilting her head to see if maybe it made more sense at a different angle. Michael just watched her, an odd look on his face. Then, she heard a voice behind her.

"Oh my gosh, I know this one!"

Maria turned to see Liz pointing excitedly to the second part of the clue, "It's an astronomy reference. The true anomaly minus the mean anomaly is equal to the center of the elliptical orbit. This is the equation of the center!"

"Ha!" Maria exclaimed, throwing her arms around her best friend in triumph.

"I don't even want to know how you know that," Kyle said in all seriousness.

Michael snorted.

"I like astronomy," Liz smiled from over Maria's shoulder, "It's one of my favorite subjects, next to biology."

Max smiled behind her back, obvious pride in his eyes.

"Well, keeping with the mathematical theme," said Alex, stepping forward, pulling Isabel with him, "the brackets of this first part could indicate a range. So, this would mean a range between the one and the twenty-six. And twenty-one, six, and fifteen could be points within the range." His brows drew together in thought. "But what has points from one to twenty-six?"

Everyone looked at Liz.

"Don't look to me for this one guys," Liz shrugged, sighing. "It could be anything… even when you're talking a finite number of things it's still a really long list."

"Look," Tess said, "I think you're getting too detailed. This was put together by high school students, so it can't be that complicated."

"There are twenty-six letters in the alphabet," Max said quietly.

"Okay," Alex nodded, "So, what are the twenty-first, sixth, and fifteenth letters?"

It was sort of funny how they all started counting on their fingers.

"Six is 'F'," Maria said, delighted to contribute.

"Number fifteen is 'O'," Kyle added.

"And 'U' is the twenty-first letter," Alex nodded. "UFO."

"And, Liz, you said the equation was for the 'center' right?" Maria asked in an awed whisper, the pieces falling into place, "It's the UFO Center."

There was a moment of stunned silence all around.

Then Maria cried out in her excitement, "I can't believe it… We did it! We made it past the second clue! We're the best team _ever!_" The others grinned, watching her bounce up and down before she grabbed Michael's hand to drag him toward the doors. "What are you guys waiting for? Let's go!"

(***)

Max went to use his key on the front doors to the UFO Center and was startled to find they were already unlocked.

"They're open," he said with surprise to the rest of the group.

"Really?" Liz asked, meeting his eyes briefly before glancing away like she'd been caught doing something she shouldn't.

"Well, I for one am not waiting for a more obvious _Come In_ sign," Isabel grasped the handle with a sharp tug and walked through the doors without a backward glance. Alex followed with a smile and apologetic shrug to the others.

Maria, Kyle, and Tess were the next over the threshold, leaving Max, Liz, and Michael out on the sidewalk.

Michael gave his best friend and the girl he'd begun to think of as one of their own a hard look. Whatever was going on between the two of them was amping up. The tension was getting ridiculous. Maria would probably be making some stupid comment about elephants right about now if she were standing next to him.

His first instinct was to make them talk, now that he had them to himself, but on the heels of that impulse came the thought that Maria was in a dark building, after hours, without him, and the realization of just how much could potentially happen in the ten minutes it would take him to get answers from these two. And Maria was the walking definition of Murphy's Law. Shit.

"I'm going in," Michael stated abruptly, vanishing through the doors.

"I guess we should join them," Max said after a moment of awkward silence. He was staring at Liz, she was staring at the sidewalk.

"Yeah." Liz took a step forward but stopped abruptly as he moved to open the door for her. She hesitated for a second before walking over the threshold. Max held himself away and perfectly still, but his eyes still closed for a moment as the sweet scent of her hair came to him as she passed by.

His knuckles when white on the handle as he struggled to control the impulse to bury his hands in those soft, brown strands and drag her against him to take her mouth with his own.

He sighed. This was going to be a long night.

(***)

The lights were on. They cast a dim glow on the cheap alien sighting photograph postcards and _Area 51 Exposed!_ display. Max and Liz found the rest of the group standing at the bottom of the entrance stairs staring at the Center's frowning owner, Milton Ross.

"Evans." Milton leaned against Information Kiosk, crossing his arms over his yellow vest. "I had a feeling I'd be seeing you tonight. A few of your classmates showed up earlier, tried to climb in the window."

"Seriously?" Alex asked, looking startled.

"Yes, _seriously_." Milton mocked, his exasperation evident. "They're lucky I asked what they were after before I called the cops." He looked over the group with a thoughtful smile. "So, you're looking for Enigma, huh?"

"Yeah, we are." Liz smiled self-consciously.

"I hope you don't mind if we look around for clues." Max added, earnestly.

"No, no. Go right ahead." Milton smiled innocuously, paused, then caught Max's eye. "I still remember those wild and crazy days when I was a teen. You know… before I got serious about the calling. Proof is out there, Evans. And the world needs men like you and me to find it. But… you're only young once."

Milton waved his hand suddenly, breaking his intense stare, "You kids go have fun tonight." He turned away, saying over his shoulder, "Evans, I'll see you for your next shift on Monday."

He didn't wait for Max's reply, just disappeared up the stairs to his office.

Isabel was the first to break the tableau. "Well… that was weird."

"We should spread out again, each take different exhibits," Tess said, suddenly eager to get this over with. The others nodded and started to fan out, beginning their own conversations as they searched.

Max waited until Liz chose her own direction before following at a distance, doing his best to look casual about it.

(***)

Kyle looked over Tess' shoulder at the exhibit showcasing the supposed layout of Area 51's top secret complex. Really, it was too disturbing that any military base, top secret or not, would devote an entire laboratory to research on wormhole probing.

He sighed. This alien thing was just _too_ weird.

(***)

Michael watched Maria, not really hearing a word she was saying. He just nodded whenever she looked over at him. He was too busy admiring the view whenever she bent over to check between the rows of neatly stacked books. It was nothing short of inspiring.

As if she could hear his thoughts, she looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. Her hand whipped out to snap her fingers in front of his face. "Eyes up top, spaceboy. We're supposed to be looking for the clue, remember?"

His expression collapsed into a scowl. "I know what we're supposed to be doing. And I like what I was looking at just fine, so where's the problem?"

Maria huffed a startled laugh. Shaking her head in mock disapproval, she turned back toward the books. She tried to regain her concentration, looking for anything unusual in the stacks, but failed miserably. He was just too hot for words sometimes.

She sighed and gave up on the boring space novels. Looking over her shoulder she smiled and pointed to an interesting pile of UFO memorabilia.

"Come on, babe. Let's see if we can find something over there."

(***)

Isabel pulled Alex into around the silly little exhibit of floating alien spaceships and into a darkened corner before firmly placing her lips to his. She loved the way he groaned and gripped her waist, pulling her into him until she was plastered across his chest. She ran her hands up his neck and slid her fingers into his hair to run her nails across his scalp and smiled into the kiss as she heard him think, _Perfect. She's just so perfect._ The thought came on the wave of desire and devotion that pulsed across their wide open bond.

Isabel surrendered to the feelings of love and security that she felt only in his arms. Her body clenched as tingling desire shot down through her belly, making her arch her spine to get closer to the only person she would ever trust with her whole self. Her other half. Her Alex.

They were so caught up in each other it took a moment for them both to register the giggles.

"Oh, _come on_ you guys!" Kyle's distinctive voice penetrated the shadows surrounding them.

Breaking apart with a guilty start they held each other for a startled moment.

"Oh, God," Isabel whispered into Alex's neck as she felt him try to contain the laughter.

"Come on, Kyle," Tess's said around a wide smile trying to sound stern, "Since we're obviously the only one's taking this search seriously, let's keep looking."

Isabel felt the blush creeping up her face as their footsteps faded away.

She peeked up at Alex and they both started laughing.

"We really should keep looking," Alex said quietly, holding her hand in his as they separated. "Maria might kill us if we keep getting distracted."

Isabel could care less about Maria's need to go to some stupid party, but she loved the naughty sparkle in Alex's sky blue eyes, so she held his hand tighter and let him lead her back through the exhibits.

They were passing through the solar system display when she felt something wet brush her arm.

"Ew!" Her face scrunched up into a look of disgust at the neon blue paint streak that was soaking through the sleeve of her brand new Roxy tee. "Really?" she asked as she waved her hand over the paint and the stain disappeared.

She looked up to see Alex grinning at her.

"I love it when you do stuff like that. It's so amazing," he said.

She shook her head and laughed at his rapt expression. Sometimes he was just too cute for words.

Alex took a minute to glance around and found the little puddle of blue paint underneath the hanging mobile. Earth's only satellite had been painted neon blue.

"We'd better get Max," he said, before shouting over his shoulder, "Hey, you guys! Over here! We've got something!"

The rest of the group was quick to reach the exhibit.

"I could be wrong, but this looks out of place to me," Alex said to Max as he pointed to the Earth's moon.

"You're right," Max said quietly, "The moon is supposed to be grey on this model."

"So, someone painted it bright blue then," Tess said, "It's got to be the last clue!"

"A blue moon…" Liz said, puzzled. "If it's the last clue it's got to lead us to the destination of the party."

"Blue moon, blue moon," Maria muttered, before her eyes widened. "_Holy cow._"

She looked around the group and whispered, "It's got to be Blue Moon Canyon… Oh. My. God." She suddenly squealed so loudly they all startled as she began to jump up and down. "We did it! Oh, my God, we totally did it! We found Enigma!"

Michael clapped his palm to her mouth as she continued her now muffled squeals and did little cheerleader moves to express her joy.

"So, I guess we're headed to a party," Max said ruefully.

"Wild horses couldn't keep her away now," Liz answered with an exasperated grin.

Their eyes met in laughing accord for a moment before they remembered their agreement and looked away awkwardly.

"Okay, so let's do this," Michael said, still holding an ecstatic Maria.

When they all got to the street, Michael took the keys from a still freaking out Maria, and they all hit the highway heading out toward Juarez Road.

(***)

They took the turn off a few miles down the road and reached a stretch of gravel parking lot that was filled with cars. They parked the Jeep and Jetta and spilled out of the vehicles.

"I can't believe we're actually doing this!" Maria said doing a full body shimmy, with a smile so wide it could have cracked her face. "Look at all these cars! We're totally in the right place."

Michael smiled at her excitement while Alex laughed and the others just grinned.

They saw the lights strobing from over the rise and heard the pulse pounding music of techno beat in the distance.

"This could be fun after all," Isabel whispered in Alex's ear. When he reached out to pull her closer, she gave him a wink.

As they all headed to over the hill, toward the pulsing sounds, Max noticed a grinning Maria to his right.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked with an answering grin.

"I was born ready," Maria said loudly over the noise of the crowd, her eyes sparkling with excitement, as she took Michael's hand and they all went over the rise.

* * *

><p><strong>Thinking up those puzzles was fun! I'm super excited to write what comes next.<strong>

**As always R&R is appreciated. :)**


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